Jujutsu
by The Random Protector
Summary: -Discontinued- -Sorcery- Magic is seen everywhere and is evident in every being. And Prince Zuko is thrown right into the middle of a ship filled with it. But what is it about this crew of misfits that makes it feel like home?
1. Falling to One's Death

Yes, this is my newest story. It was inspired by the movie _Howl's Moving Castle_ but there is nothing about it in this story.

This has nothing to do with Oyu and Oyu has nothing to do with this one. This might seemed a bit rushed but it will go slower soon…

Please read and review!

Update on 12/13/05: This story weaves in and out of Book 1: Water. This is basically the way it goes: Episodes 1-15 of _Avatar_, first 14 real Chapters (it says Chapter instead of like Prologue), picks up at Episode 18 (The Waterbending Master)-Siege of the North, starts off again at Chapter 15 and onward. This does contain spoilers for Siege of the North in Chapter 15 and on. Be warned.

Disclaimer: I don't own _Avatar_. I don't own _Howl's Moving Castle_. So sue me.

* * *

**Prologue – _Tsuishi_**

_Magic is everywhere._

_It is seen when the seasons change. The large trees grow leaves in spring and lose them before winter. Animals grow up and learn special powers, whether it is the bison's flying ability or the unagi eel's water spewing power._

_Magic is evident in bending in small amounts. There is not enough to become what very few choose to do. The Avatar is the closest to being one but he does not have the power to keep himself sane with the many abilities associated with magic._

_Or sorcery._

_Very few people become wizards or witches or whatever they wanted to call themselves. The ones who did it for greed often went insane. The ones who did it for revenge ended up dead from a backfired curse._

_Many did it to keep themselves safe during the war._

_Even the Fire Nation feared these beings as they could become powerful, powerful enough to overthrow Fire Lord Ozai. They captured the people even if they were from the Fire Nation. The ones who agreed to help the Fire Nation were shown slight mercy. These were turned into hideous monsters by the Royal Wizard and sent to destroy._

_The ones who refused ended up dead._

_The few left went into hiding. Some even turned themselves in to receive some mercy. _

_Even so, the ones left were still at large and the Fire Nation had a large price on their capture. It was almost as critical as capturing the Avatar._

_Almost._

* * *

A storm brewed, rain pelting everything in its way. The island had large trees to shelter even Appa and it was huge. It would take the Fire Nation days to find them in it.

Even so, it wouldn't help them right now as the warship followed the giant bison and the humans on top of the creature.

Prince Zuko watched as the bison flew ahead of them, almost in a mocking way. He threw his hand down, yelling, "Fire!"

The large, flaming boulder-sized chunks hurtled through the air. The bison dodged out of the way with a groan. Zuko frowned and once again yelled.

Grunting, Appa took a steep dive as his passengers screamed. The flaming debris missed again but Appa had gone too low and was having trouble rising into the air again. The wind around them had gotten stronger and even Aang was having trouble staying aboard the beast.

The prince stared as the bison struggled to rise and decided this was his only chance. Grabbing a length of rope, he ran to the end of the deck. His uncle shouted something but he was deaf from determination. The looped end of the rope hooked onto the bison's saddle and Zuko dangled from it.

"Hey!" Sokka cried, peering over the saddle as the prince growled. "Let go!"

At that time, Appa had managed to ascend again, shooting straight up. Zuko growled again and hung on as the wind rushed past him. His eyes watering, he struggled to climb up the rope.

"Sokka!" Aang yelled over the storm. "We have to land!"

"Not with him we aren't!" he yelled back, trying the knock the rope off the saddle.

"Sokka! We have no choice!" Katara cried out. "Appa's tired! He's not going to last much longer!"

There was a strange sound coming from the large creature. He bucked and Sokka's bladed boomerang leapt out of the warrior's belt and fell at just the right angle.

The rope Zuko was holding onto wasn't supported anymore.

His eyes widened as he began to fall from what had to be at least a thousand feet in the air. He tried to scream but nothing came out of his throat. The prince knew they had to be on the other side of the island by then and that meant a cliff overlooking the ocean

With very sharp rocks at the bottom.

If he didn't die of the fall, he would surely die of drowning. Or worse, being impaled on one of the rocks.

Zuko closed his eyes and wished he had never spoken out against his father.

His body slammed into a ledge on the cliff, knocking him out efficiently as he slipped, rolling down the rocky edge. His body fell freely, hitting one of the jagged rocks as he finally slipped into the ocean, unconscious.

Before he had blacked out, he had wished the war had never started.


	2. Sorceress

Welcome to Chap. 2. This is where the craziness begins.

Please read and review and oh, name definitions for some are given at the bottom.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Avatar_. I own the sorceress and the demons and the ship.

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**Chapter 1 – _Miko_**

_There was swirling black water all around him. He was falling through the water to the bottom. Sharp rocks waited to greet him._

_This had to be the place where sailors went to in the Spirit World. Well, the evil ones anyways._

_He shivered, squinting in the darkness as he thought he saw something move. Something dark swam to greet him and he gasped at the reptilian body. Wings spread out as it stopped before him, glaring at him through gold eyes. The dragon snarled and opened its mouth, ready to devour him whole._

_He fought but the wings wrapped around him, holding him still as the head lowered and the jaws began to snap him in half._

_Grunting, he fought still but was losing strength. The dragon dropped him and swam off, moving gracefully through the water._

_He continued to fall and found the darkness to be very…_

_Soothing._

* * *

"He's waking up," a deep voice said above him.

"It's about damn time," someone growled. This one was slightly feminine.

"Can I eat him?" asked another voice.

"No! I didn't waste my potions so that you could eat him!" the woman shrieked.

"He's Fire Nation!"

"Don't care. Now shut up! He could useful."

Zuko forced his eyes to open as the argument stopped. His head hurt but that might have been from the argument. Groaning, he pushed himself into a sitting position, finding that his body only slightly ached. After a fall like that, he was surprised he was alive and in one piece. The blanket covering him pooled in his lap and he was thankful he still had on his shirt and pants.

"Welcome back to the living."

He looked up and nearly died of shock.

A demon was sitting in a stool next to him. And not just any demon, a very dangerous looking wolf one. Both the triangular ears on the top of the demon's head twitched and he grinned, showing off very large fangs. The gold eyes glinted in the lamplight even though they were mostly hidden by a curtain of blue-gray hair.

"Ookami, you're scaring him," someone said and the demon flinched from a blow to his shoulder.

Luckily when Zuko looked up, he was not staring at a demon. At least, not any demon he had heard of.

She looked to be about twenty. Black hair was braided into a single strand and reached down past her shoulder blades. Grey eyes, though the right one looked cloudy and slightly paler, watched him with a laugh. She looked to be about his height if not a bit smaller. A red shirt and black pants completed her ensemble as a strange black hat rested on her head.

"Took you long enough. We've been waiting for hours," she said. She gave the demon a nod and he stood, giving her his stool. "So, let's start off. I'm Sorano, that demon is Ookami, and the one above you is Nezu."

At that, Zuko's head turned and found that another demon was watching him from the rafters. He had slightly more demonic features than the wolf one but was still slightly human looking. Large, round ears protruded from the sides of his head. Whiskers twitched as he raised a clawed hand. He grinned, showing off bucked teeth and two small fangs. A rat's tail twitched behind him as he squeaked and began to climb down from the rafters.

"So, who are you?" she asked.

He turned his attention away form the rat demon and faced her again. "Uh…" he muttered, confused. What the hell was going on?

"You really have been out of it, Sorano," the wolf demon called out from his place by the wall. "That's the Fire Nation Prince."

The woman blinked in surprise and then turned back to the prince. She then pushed close, very close, and stared him straight in the eyes.

He was really not liking this place.

"So it is!" she called out, startling the prince from his thoughts. "Well, welcome aboard the _Houou_!" She leapt into the air, twirling suddenly.

The wolf demon slapped his hand to his head.

The boat suddenly lurched sideways.

"Calm down!" the wolf cried, grabbing the cabinet next to him. "You're gonna sink us!"

She blinked but stopped. The ship balanced out again and the wolf gave a frustrated sigh. The woman grinned widely and plopped back down on the stool.

Zuko had just recovered from that sudden burst of energy and stared at this woman. There was no way she was normal. She didn't look like she was from the Water Tribe either so that ruled out Waterbender. That could mean one other way that had happened and she had roped in two demons.

"Witch!" he cried out, staring at her as she blinked again.

"Ah, come on. Witch is such a negative word. I prefer Sorceress or Miko," she commented. "Besides, I'm not old enough to be a witch. Or am I?" The woman suddenly blinked and frowned. "Damn. It did it again," she mumbled. She was suddenly walking and before he knew it, she was gone.

"Gods, why did I ever agree to this?" the wolf demon grumbled before following out after her.

Zuko struggled to figure out what to do. He was on a ship with a witch and maybe dozens of demons, all who were all supposed to feed on humans. Witches were the worst though. They could enchant anyone they didn't like into bugs or toads or remove body parts or experiment on people.

He had to get off.

The prince stood up from the couch he had been lying on and looked around the room. The rat demon was still there, watching him with large black eyes. He shrugged though and disappeared through the door. Worrying his lip, he spun around, seeing if there was a secret way off the ship.

A window large enough to fit him was found to be magically shut. He couldn't budge it open anyways. The only other exit was the door.

He sighed, stepping through the crowded room. This place was filled with chairs and tables. The floor under him suddenly turned to metal and he stared down, finding the floor was a patchwork of metal and wood. He looked around the room, finding that the entire room was like the floor.

This had to be the weirdest ship he had ever been on.

The door was surprisingly open and he made his way through the maze of hallways. It was only slightly easy and he made it up onto the deck in minutes.

A breeze blew past as he blinked against the glare of the sun. The storm had passed and he stared around in wonder. Sails rustled against the wind and he could distinctly hear the roar of an engine. A mast rose from the middle of the strange ship and he found more patchwork pieces. This thing had to be held together by magic.

"Sweet smell…wonderful at this time in the year…fruit most likely…"

He looked up into the sails and found the witch sitting on a rope. She seemed to be lost in thought and continued to mumble to herself. Zuko watched her as she snapped to reality and scaled down the rope. She dropped besides the Firebender, her hat clutched in her hands.

"Head north. There's an island with excellent trees!" she commanded. She shoved her hat back on and turned on her heel. Her right eye was an almost blank white. "I'll be in my quarters making potions!"

"Aye, Sorano!"

That was a different voice and Zuko turned to figure out who else was here.

He found another demon resting on a steering wheel. This one was more human looking though. Zuko would've guessed he was human first until he noticed the long pointed ears and the two fangs he revealed when he grinned. A hat covered his mess of blond hair while gold eyes glittered at the prince.

"Ah, you're our lil' human then?" he asked, grinning slightly.

Zuko nodded, not knowing what else to do.

"You took a mighty big fall back there, we were worried that you were dead when you hit the ocean!" he called out, turning the wheel slightly.

The prince was at a lost. This was obviously a demon and yet there had been no threats and he was almost…friendly. Then again, the others hadn't been too demonic either, except the rat one. That was the one who had wanted to eat him.

"Come on up and join me, it gets boring up here anyways," the demon called out.

Blinking, Zuko found himself walking up the stairs to the demon. He stood before the strange creature as he grinned.

"The name's Hoshi," he said, holding out his hand.

Zuko shook it, still in slight shock. "Zuko," he managed.

"Ah, Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation," the demon laughed. "Sorano ran up here hollerin' something like that. Don't try to excite her; she'll rip this ship apart like last time." The demon grinned and glanced down at the lower deck. "Getting' a bit off course." He turned the wheel to the left.

The prince looked down to where the demon had glanced and gasped as he found a large compass on the deck. He stared as it moved and the large 'n' pointed towards the front of the ship.

"Sorano enchanted that on the ship. Makes it easier for me to figure out where the hell I'm going," he explained. "You can only see it from above though."

Hoshi gave the prince a grin and leaned on the wheel. "Confused?"

All Zuko could do was nod.

"Yeah, Sorano's confusing to say the least. I don't know why she saved you, knowing you were Fire Nation and all. She actually hesitated before she jumped in after you and it looked like she was fightin' with herself. But she jumped in and grabbed you so you're welcome on this ship by my standards." The demon glanced down at the compass again.

"So she won't turn me…?"

"Nah, she's not that," Hoshi reassured. "She'll let you stay on as long as you want. I think she misses talkin' to humans," he said. "That and we're the only company she usually gets."

Zuko took in the information, very glad that the rumor wasn't true. He was still confused on what he was going to do though. Nothing surrounded them but clear water so they had to be a ways off from the island.

"How old is she? Where is she from?" he found himself asking out of nowhere.

"Guess," the demon responded, giving him a grin.

"Twenty?" he said, watching the demon's face. "Twenty-one? Nineteen?"

The demon burst out laughing. "You're not even close!" He calmed and gave the prince a smile. "She's twenty-seven. Or twenty-six. She's not real sure herself." Hoshi grinned at the young man's stare. "I don't know how she looks younger than she is. Ookami bets she uses some charms."

The Firebender sputtered and then quieted. Of course she probably used charms. Probably to attract men to take their hearts out for potions.

An explosion rang out as the ship rocked violently. A long stream of curses followed afterwards. Zuko was surprised to hear as many as he did.

"Don't worry," Hoshi said, keeping the boat on track even with the rocking. "If she were really upset, she'd be spitting like a cat and screaming up a storm in whatever that sorcerer's language is."

Boots clicking up stairs caught their attention as the sorceress suddenly burst out of the hatch. She looked pissed and pinned the demon with a hard glare. "Whose been messing with my ingredients?" she yowled, snarling.

"You have. You needed some other kind of ingredients and replaced a couple of your own with them," he responded calmly.

"I have?" she asked, blinking in surprise. "Oh." She shrugged and turned on her heel, disappearing down the stairs.

"You see what I have to be with every day?" the demon asked. "She's so forgetful so I usually end up being her mind."

Zuko gulped. '_I hope I live._'

"Oh, forgot about the other question," Hoshi remembered. "Guess where?"

The demon was grating on his nerves with the guessing but didn't say anything. Who knew what he could do. "Earth Kingdom?" was his first guess.

"Ah, I'll give you a freebie." The demon beckoned him closer and checked to make sure the witch didn't appear again.

"She's from the Fire Nation."

* * *

Sorano – Of the Sky

Ookami – Wolf (not too hard)

Nezu – Rat (so clever)

Houou – Phoenix

Hoshi – Star


	3. Brief Explanation

Thank you My Silver Wound for reviewing! I hope you like the next chapter.

I forgot to mention that the translation of the title is given in the chapter drop down box.

Please read and review!

Disclaimer: I own Sorano, Nezu, Ookami, and Hoshi as well as the ship. That is all I believe.

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**Chapter 2 – _Ryakkai_**

Zuko sat on the deck, staring at the compass. So far, he and the demon had not heard or seen the sorceress for three hours. Hoshi had said it was a good sign and that her potions were going well. Explosions still rocked the ship from time to time along with a loud curse or two but other than that, it was quiet.

The prince gazed around the ship for the fifth time, this time looking at the difference between this one and his uncle's. This ship was smaller than the warship but it seemed to have more power with both sails and an engine. It was extremely streamlined and cut through the water effortlessly. It had to be some sort of magic.

So far, the demon had concentrated on his steering and had let the silence ring out. But now, Zuko couldn't stand it anymore.

"What's wrong with her eye?" he asked, glancing up at the demon.

"I could ask you the same thing," Hoshi replied easily, not taking his gold eyes off the bow. "Though I'm sure that story's a lil' messier than hers." He grinned widely. "Just a backfired charm. She tried to change her eye color and ended up becoming blind in her right eye. She uses a spell to get her eyesight back. It's temporary though so she has to make another spell about every week."

He frowned and stared at the compass.

The demon took off his hat, running a hand through his hair. Zuko stared at the three small horns running across his forehead, poking out through his hair. Then again, he wasn't surprised at the horns. Most demons had some. No wonder why he wore hat.

Boots clicked up the stairs and both Hoshi and Zuko turned to see who was coming. Sorano appeared in a swirling black cloak, leaping up and grabbing a rope. She climbed among the sails for a moment before she stopped and once again mumbled to herself.

"What is she doing?" Zuko asked, gazing at the sorceress.

"Ah, she collects plants for the arbor she made below the quarters. It's a wonderful place. Lots of flowers and trees. She needs them for potion ingredients." Hoshi looked up when she suddenly jumped down and landed safely on the deck.

"Excellent, Hoshi! We'll be there tonight if we continue." She grinned and then noticed the Firebender, almost like it was the first time. "Oh, yeah."

"Yeah," the demon said, smiling.

"What to do with you," she mumbled, climbing the stairs. "Where do you want to be let off?" she asked Zuko, blinking.

"I would like to be back on my uncle's ship if that is possible," he said without hesitating. "I do not know where he is though or where he will be stopping."

Sorano grinned suddenly. Zuko blinked and watched as she dug something out of her pocket. "A finding spell then! This will be fun!" she called out, hopping down the seven stairs and onto the lower deck.

Zuko watched in fascination as she settled below the compass and began to draw a circle with a piece of chalk. "Keep the boat heading north, Hoshi!"

"Aye, Sorano!" he called out.

She drew a kite shape in the circle, the longer sides pointing towards the outside. Biting her lower lip, she drew four points on the circle and then drew a circle in the kite.

"I'm going to need something that your uncle likes or has touched that you can get rid of," she called out from her spot on the deck. The sorceress looked up as Zuko managed to dig out a strange packet from his shirt and threw it to her. She caught it and gave a laugh.

Hoshi nodded his head to tell Zuko he could move closer to watch her if he wanted. The prince moved to the last step and stood watching her as she carefully placed the tea bag in the circle in the kite shape.

Sorano moved back, standing stiffly besides the circle. She raised her arms above her head and took a deep breath. Her arms fell rigidly and she yelled out something that Zuko couldn't hear or understand. The crash of thunder covered the yell as a bolt of blue lightning struck the tea.

Zuko covered his eyes and then the air was calm. He blinked away stars and stared as the tea was gone and there were no marks to show that lightning had struck the ship at all. No burns or scorches. He watched as the sorceress panted and smiled at the spell. The Firebender stared at the circled as the kite, now looking like a weird compass needle, spun in circles before settling on one direction.

"Looks like it works," she commented, grinning like a maniac. She turned to the demon and grinned at him. "We'll stop at the port and get some flowers and fruit and more supplies and then follow the spell."

Hoshi nodded and saluted. She vanished below the deck and the demon chuckled as Zuko took a closer examination of the spell.

"This is a spell?" he asked.

"A simple one but a spell no doubt," he answered, turning the wheel again slightly. "She likes to use that particular one for any plants she needs. It will find the closest one to us." Hoshi smiled as the hatch opened again and Ookami stuck his head out.

"What's going on?" the wolf demon asked gruffly.

"Sorano just did a finding spell is all," he said. "You can go back down, Ookami."

The wolf shrugged and disappeared down the hatch.

Zuko sat stiffly on the top stair and stared at the afternoon sun. He still had questions but didn't feel like he should be asking the demon. Then again, he could never catch the witch when he wanted to.

"How long has she been doing magic?" he asked, turning to the demon.

"Hmm?" the demon mumbled and turned to the Firebender. "Ah, her sorcery? Been a while. Said she started when she was five. So that makes about twenty-two years," he mused. "Left home when she turned eight because of that damned Fire Lord." When Zuko glared he shrugged. "Don't care if you're his son or not, it's damn true."

"She should be proud to serve her nation," the prince growled.

"Really?" Hoshi asked, pinning him with a small glare. "I would've chosen exile than be turned into some beast and sent out to kill or be killed." He sighed and stared out at the ocean. "She saved me when she ran away and I've been with her ever since. Her skills have helped more people than I can count, Fire or otherwise. With her, it doesn't matter."

Zuko fell silent, knowing the truth of that. He had often walked past the witches and wizards after their transformation when he was young, staring in awe at their ferocity and their viciousness. Now he seemed to know that they were suffering inside.

"What was with the tea bag?" Hoshi asked, showing he was not fazed by the prince's last comment.

"My uncle has an obsession with the stuff," Zuko said with a grimace.

Hoshi let out a booming laugh.

"What the hell!" Ookami suddenly appeared, his head poking out from the hatch. "You'll scare the fish you moron!" Ears twitching, he disappeared again.

Chuckling, the demon glanced at the prince. "It takes all kinds," he said with a grin.

Zuko sighed softly and gazed up at the afternoon sun again. It had been at least four hours since he had woken up on this patchwork ship. He was no closer to being to what he considered home than he was to understanding the witch. She could've left him in the water to die since his family had been the ones to condemn her kind to suffering.

Woah. Where had that come from?

This heat was making him a little crazy as well. There was no way he was feeling sorry for someone who could throw him into the air without touching him.

Once again, the wolf demon appeared, giving a gruff call of "Dinner!"

"Finally!" the demon whispered, kicking the wheel. It locked itself and held the boat steady as he started to make his way to the hatch. "Come on! I'm sure Ookami's got something for you," he yelled over his shoulder at Zuko.

Like a lost puppy, the prince followed him down into the maze, down a flight of stairs, across a hallway, and down another. This part was easy to remember. It was just the large size of it that confused him. It had to be magic.

Hoshi led him to the mess area and he was greeted by the rat demon as he gnawed on some sort of fish. Ookami was seated next to him on the couch, ripping meat from the skeleton of a larger fish.

Three plates rested on the table in the middle of the room and Hoshi grabbed two, handing one to Zuko. He invited him to pick a chair out of the mess of them. There had to be about ten different chairs in the room. Zuko settled awkwardly in an overstuffed as Hoshi flopped on one across from him.

The plate had quite a bit of food on it. A large, smoked fish rested on some sort of leafy vegetable and a small roll was off to the side. Sliced, colorful fruit with a strange glaze sat on the side and a bowl of rice completed the meal.

He was about to try the fruit when a yell reached them and Sorano ran in, flying over a chair as a plate of food flew through the air after her. Hoshi ducked calmly as she landed on the arm of his chair, perched like a bird. The plate fell in her lap and she began to wolf it down.

"I see you haven't jumped off the side of the boat yet," she commented between a bite, grinning. Her eye was back to its grey color. "That's a first. Most people think I'm going to cut out their hearts and jump overboard." She laughed, grabbing a cup of water from the table. "Oh, it's hilarious to watch them."

"Maybe for you," Ookami grumbled. "I have to fish them out," he said to Zuko more than to the sorceress.

"You though," she said, pointing her chopsticks at him. "You were a wonder." She swallowed another bite fish. "It was amazing putting you back together."

"Amazin' for you," the rat demon squeaked, looking slightly faint. "Not for me though! I was about ready to puke!"

"Oh, hush," she scolded.

"I could not have been that bad," Zuko remarked, trying to tell himself the same thing.

"Really?" she asked, one eyebrow rising. Her plate went to the table. "Mister Hoshi, Mister Ookami. Please join me in piecing together what this young man looked like when I dragged him onboard. We'll start at the head."

She jumped suddenly, landing on the arm of his chair. A finger poked the side of his head. "I think it was here where your skull was fractured. It was a nice, clean cut too." She traced a part of his head from the middle of his forehead to almost his topknot. "Had a piece missing here," she mumbled, drawing a small, abnormal shape around where she had drawn the fracture. "I could see your brain poking it. If you hadn't been alive, I would've taken it to experiment with."

Zuko felt slightly unnerved at this.

"Ookami, tell him what was wrong with his face," she said.

"What face?" he asked in his grumble.

"Exactly!" she chirped.

"Had a good cut on the neck. Luckily it missed the vein," Hoshi said from his spot.

"Good dislocation on the shoulder though. Might have a bit of trouble with that. Oh! Had an excellent tear right here where your shoulder blade pierced through."

"Punctured lung from broken ribs. Had a couple poking through the skin."

Sorano was going on to tell him of what had happened with the rest of his torso when he held up a hand to stop her. "I think I get it," he managed to say.

"Thank gods!" Nezu squeaked, rubbing his stomach. "Anymore and I woulda puked!"

Dinner quieted down after that as Sorano had to leave to complete a few more potions. Ookami grumbled something about sleeping and disappeared through the door. Nezu gave a yawn and scrambled off, his small body weaving through the chairs.

Hoshi gave the prince a smile and stood. "Just dump the dishes on the table," he said. "Whatever Sorano did to the table makes it clean them."

Shrugging, the Firebender dropped the plate down and followed after the demon. He walked back up on deck and stared at the darkening sky.

The two just sat in silence as Hoshi steered the ship north still. The small finding spell was still pointing northeast but Zuko didn't know how long that would last.

The stars appeared and Zuko sighed at the peacefulness of the area. It was almost relaxing here.

Sorano appeared from the hatch. "Call it a night, Hoshi. I've put a spell that will wake us up when we get close to port."

"What about Zuko?" he asked, watching her blink and then snap alert.

"Oh, yeah," she said with a lopsided grin. "Um…there's the empty room!"

Yawning and nodding, the demon kicked the wheel again and followed after the sorceress with Zuko in tow.

After traveling down two more flights of stairs from the mess hallway, they arrived at a strange hallway. The first door they passed had 'Nezu' scribbled on it and was smaller than the other doorways. The next had a large window in the front but the glass was wavy, distorting the image. That one had to be the wolf demon's.

The hallway was shaped funny. The ceiling was wider than the floor. When Zuko turned to examine the side, he found the wall to be slanted and see through. He looked down and held in a gasp.

Below his feet was a very lush area filled with shrubs, bushes, and flowers. Several he could identify from the Fire Nation and a couple from the Earth Kingdom. He turned to look up at Hoshi as the demon cast him a grin.

"The arboretum," he said quietly

The next door was blank and Sorano opened it. It was empty besides a large window facing out to sea. She pulled out her chalk and drew a star on the floor and then two circles out to the side. The sorceress placed a foot in each circle and held her arms out to the side, drawing in a deep breath. With a cry that was masked by the rumble of thunder, the room grew and a bed appeared along with a chair, a desk, and a nightstand.

Zuko stared at the new room even as a rug rolled out on the barren floor. It was about as large as his quarters on the ship and he smirked slightly.

"There," she panted, and he turned. She had large shadows under her eyes and she grinned. "Any problems you have, Hoshi's next door and I'm at the end of the hall."

"Good night," Hoshi said and the two left the prince to the room.

He gazed around the room as he noticed a basin of water on the desk. Sighing, he sat on the bed and lied back. This he could get used to.


	4. Daily Routine

Thank you My Silver Wound for reviewing! You've been great keeping up with the story!

Please read and review! Pretty please?

Disclaimer: I own Hoshi, Sorano, Nezu, Ookami, and the ship. That's about it.

* * *

**Chapter 3 – _Zokumu_**

Zuko groaned as the sunlight hit him full in the face and rolled over, attempting to hide himself. The sun was unwavering and shone brighter in an almost mocking way. Growling, he tried once again to block the sun but lost.

Finally, he sat up and glared at the sunlight and threw the blankets off the bed. Still growling, he stood on the floor and stretched, rolling his shoulders. He then noticed something was off.

This wasn't his room.

The day before rushed to him and he groaned. That hadn't been some freaky nightmare caused by a fever. Sighing, he found, much to his surprise, a pile of clothes and a basin of water with a note attached to it. The prince picked the note up and frowned slightly.

'_Zuko –_

_You won't be accepted very well in this port, being Firebender and all. These clothes should fit you pretty well. Just don't show up in armor. You won't need it._

_The water in the basin is an illusion mixture. Splash it on your face. You're very noticeable with the scar.'_

_- Sorano_

Zuko sighed and picked up the shirt, finding it had to be one of the witch's. She was the only one closest to him in height. It was a nice yellow color with a couple of dragons stitched in the sleeves. He slid it on, finding it was made of a very nice material, almost like silk.

He found the pants to be a pure black and of the same material. He was going to have to ask her what it was.

Now, he stared into the water in the basin. It seemed to be just plain water. The prince was slightly cautious about even touching something magical. His courage flared and he dipped his hands in and rubbed his face.

He didn't feel any different as he wiped the water off with a towel. Zuko thought it might be a dud but he looked up into the mirror and stared.

His scar was gone.

The prince's stomach flipped as he stared at his unmarred reflection. His hand lightly touched the left side of his face but found the scarred skin still there. Zuko watched as he blinked the left eye and found it was fully functional in the mirror.

Suddenly, the note flipped over and he stared at the postscript written on the back.

'_It's temporary (about six hours) so be careful. Also, you can't use a lot of it at a time. Has very unpleasant side effects.'_

Frowning, he grabbed his boots and fought them on. He then made his way to the window and found they were at port. Then again, he had woken up in the middle of the night when the witch and the demon were fighting to get the ship to dock. It was a sunny town and he found children rushing around and people shopping for wares. His uncle would like it here.

Zuko exited the room and made his way down the hallway. After a few steps though, he knew he was lost. He didn't remember this part at all.

"Bit of spice, some salt," a gruff voice mumbled.

He followed the sound and found what had to be a kitchen. Pots and pans hung from hooks and several ovens were waiting with mouths open. He moved in and stared around at the crowded place. This had to be bigger than the one on his ship.

"Needs a lil' more basil."

Blinking, he stared at the wolf demon as he moved easily about in the kitchen, throwing a pinch of leaves into a pot hovering over a fire. Ookami brushed his bangs out of his face and grabbed what appeared to be some sort of bird and began plucking feathers.

"Gonna stand there all day?" he asked, giving Zuko a glance and went back to plucking.

Zuko moved in a few more feet and looked over at the pot simmering over the fire. It had a wonderful smell and he stared at the demon.

"You missed breakfast," the demon mumbled, finished with his plucking. He pushed his bangs back again and the prince noticed his hair was tied back in a low ponytail. "There are some leftovers over there," he said gruffly, pointing to a plate set out over a very low fire.

He nodded and took the plate, slowly eating while the demon cut the bird into sections. His skill with the large knife surprised the prince to no end. Ookami flipped the knife and caught it by the hilt, replacing it in its sheath.

"I see Sorano's illusion worked," he commented, turning to face the prince. "I prefer the scar."

Snorting, the prince took a bite out some sort of fruit, finding it was extremely sweet. Ookami chuckled as the prince forced it down.

"I've never met a Firebender who liked that yet," he said with a feral grin.

Zuko glared and placed the plate down. "Why are you here? I mean, you could take over this ship if you wanted."

Ookami smiled slightly and picked up another knife and started to trim the fat off the bird. "It's a demon thing. But basically, she saved me and so I repay my debt by being the cook." He started to de-bone the bird and continued. "That's really the only reason any of us are with her. But it could also be that she accepts us and won't kill us on sight."

He slid the meat across the counter and turned to face prince. "I tried to get a job with a restaurant but they had a strict 'no demon' rule. I ended up getting shot at with arrows and chased out of town. Sorano and Hoshi found me and healed me and I ended up staying with them."

"How long ago was that?" Zuko asked.

"About fifteen years ago really." The wolf demon grabbed a jar that held some sort of sauce. He added a couple of spoonfuls of it onto the meat and replaced the lid.

Zuko nodded absentmindedly and leaned against a clear counter space. "I understand what you do and Hoshi and the witch," he said, watching the demon smile slightly at his name for Sorano. "What does the rat demon do?"

He chuckled and smiled. "Nezu's basically Sorano's errand boy. He's out right now picking up supplies and telling people that there's a sorceress in port." He winced slightly. "This ship will be filled to the brim with people wanting all sorts of spells."

"Wait, won't people be scared of a rat demon?"

A clatter of small feet pounded down a flight of stairs and the rat demon appeared through the kitchen door. Or, Zuko supposed it was the rat demon. The large ears had disappeared and were replaced by normal human ones. His long face had shortened slightly and his claws were now regular nails.

"Got the flour!" he chirped, placing a large basket on the counter. He gave a grin and took off the cloak around his shoulders. Immediately, his body changed into the demon's real form. He smiled and rushed around, and Zuko finally noticed he was tiny compared to everyone else on the ship. He was about the size of a child. Well, a demon child.

"Nezu, go and watch the deck. Come down and tell us when the people start coming," Ookami barked. The little demon saluted and disappeared.

Sighing, the wolf brushed his hair back with a clawed hand and turned to Zuko. "You're gonna help us."

Zuko started to sputter but Ookami held up a hand. "It's easy. All you have to do is hand me bottles, jars, or leather wrapped things from the shelves. Sorano always pre-makes the most common ones. And once she reappears from her romp in the woods, you can just watch."

Nezu's voice squeaked down the stairs. "They're here!"

* * *

Zuko couldn't tell what was stranger: the fact that he was helping the demons run this "store" or that people had actually stayed even with a demon tending to them.

Ookami had the job of greeting people and asking what they needed. He knew what jar was what and how many spaces it was from the frame without looking behind him. Nezu helped with the top spells while Zuko handled the rest.

A little girl had asked for a cure for her mother and the wolf demon, being as gentle as he could be, asked for symptoms and quickly diagnosed the problem. He also gave instructions on it as well.

Luckily, only two people needed to wait for Sorano to return to make a spell or potion.

He saw the witch and the demon as she waved and then she disappeared along with Hoshi. A couple of minutes later, an old woman appeared up the steps, muttering about the stairs on the ship. Her dress was a deep navy and the cloak rolled about her hunched shoulders. Gray hair was tied back in a small ponytail and she brushed a strand away with a slightly knobby hand.

"Madame Phoenix!" Ookami called out as though this was a well rehearsed part of the day. "We have two people here who need special potions."

"All right, all right," she huffed and made her way to the two. After their order of a cure for some pneumonia and a spell to right a boat, she vanished into the hatch. Ookami dealt with a few more customers when Zuko noticed something else.

The people were paying with copper pieces and maybe a small basket of food. It was extremely cheap to what the Royal Wizard wanted when he gave spells. Ookami received each with grace that had to have been learned from years of experience.

Madame Phoenix reappeared with the potion and spell and the two men paid before heading off.

"Madame Phoenix?" Zuko asked in a low whisper.

"Shut up," she bit out. "I'm a wanted person. I have to make sure no one can effectively trace me."

The line of people thinned out by noon when they took turns eating the soup Ookami had prepared earlier. Sorano was thinking of packing up and leaving port after that because the Fire Nation was heading over when a young man ran up in a panic.

"Please, Sorceress!" he cried out, falling to his knees. "I have to fight tomorrow and I will surely lose without your help!"

"Calm down now," she whispered. "Now, what do you need?"

"I need something that we make me win the fight tomorrow! Or else, I will lose everything I have ever loved!" He began to sob uncontrollably.

Ookami attempted to stifle his laugh.

"I am sorry, young man but there is no spell I can make to do that," she said in a low voice.

"Please! You have to!" he cried out, crying still.

She sighed and turned to Ookami. "Fetch me one, please."

The wolf demon disappeared, still hiding his grin. Zuko watched as he climbed up through the hatch and tossed the witch a small bag.

"Now then, young man," she said seriously. "Before the fight, you will hold onto this bag and find the strength inside of you to win. It will give you courage but you will decide the outcome of the match."

He took the bag and hugged the sorceress with a sob. The man gave her a silver piece and ran off, looking a great deal better than before.

"That was a dishonorable thing to do," Zuko commented when she sighed and faced her crew.

"What?" she asked, taking the cloak off and he stared once again at the real witch wearing a green shirt and black pants that were short on her.

"Giving him an edge in the fight with a spell," he growled.

"What?" Sorano asked in confusion. "Oh!" She laughed as well as the wolf demon. "That's what you're upset about?" Chuckling, she turned to Ookami. "What was in that bag?"

"Some feathers that I plucked," he answered with a feral grin.

Zuko stared as the demons and witch laughed.

"It's a simple trick, Zuko," she said, smiling. "We get a lot of that kind of work and so I send one of these clowns to get together some junk to put in a bag and I give it to them, saying it will help them. It usually does as they think they can win and they do."

"It is a trick then," he said with a frown.

"Not really. They believe it will work and it sorta does. They win and I get some money for helping out," she smiled and turned to Hoshi. "Let's go! We got everything!"

Hoshi started the engines and started pulling out to sea again. Nezu disappeared among the sails, adjusting them and sliding about the mast. Ookami disappeared down into the hatch, most likely to finish up dinner.

"As soon as we're out to sea, follow the finding spell. I'll be in the arboretum."

She was about to walk into the hatch when Hoshi let out a slight yell. The witch whirled around, grabbing her hat to keep it on and stared at the ship blocking their path. "Cut the engine!" she yelled, flinging her arm and a large weight fell off over the side.

Zuko grabbed the mast so he didn't fall on his face with the sudden lurching stop. He stared up at the ship and recognized the Fire Navy design with a grimace.

"Hello, witch."

Admiral Zhao stood at the bow, a smirk on his face as he gazed down at the small patchwork ship.


	5. Falling Star

Thank you Tsuyosa and My Silver Wound for reviewing! Hope you have fun in Pennsylvania.

I have writer's block…well for my other story Oyu. Anyone who has read the other one, I'm sorry. I'll try to get back on track soon. This one is still going though.

Please read and review!

Disclaimer: I own my characters and that's it. The _Avatar _belongs to its creators.

* * *

**Chapter 4 – _Ryuusei_**

Sorano raised an eyebrow and seemed to sigh. "Commander Zhao," she greeted, taking her hat off and bowing. "To what do I owe this unpleasant visit to?"

Zuko could almost feel the sarcasm dripping from her. She had a very intense glare and a fake smile plastered on. The witch probably hated Zhao as much as he did.

"It is Admiral, now, witch," he corrected.

"Oh, I am very sorry," Sorano apologized. "I didn't know that Ozai promoted arrogant, moronic bastards."

The prince would've grinned if he had the chance. He was starting to like her after all.

"Shut your mouth, witch. You and your crew are under arrest for treason and betrayal." A tic had appeared beneath the Firebender's eye. He suddenly noticed that there was someone standing next to her. "Prince Zuko. What a surprise. I did not know you associated with traitors. Oh, wait, you are a traitor."

The potion had worn off and he frowned. Zuko glared up at the admiral as he smirked and took out a scroll from his pocket.

"Tell you what, witch. I will give you a chance to redeem yourself. If you can identify the man in this poster, I will let you go." He tossed the scroll down and she let it float down into her hand.

Sorano opened the scroll and gazed at the man with the demon mask on. "Handsome devil," she commented.

Again, the tic appeared.

Her head tilted and she gave a wide grin. She held it in one hand and waved her other hand over it and Zuko stared as the ink rearranged itself to form a perfect picture of him. Sorano stifled a laugh and glanced at him. She appeared to be enjoying this.

"Prince Zuko," she began in a serious tone. "Do you agree that this is a perfect specimen to outsmart the admiral?" she asked.

It took all of Zuko's willpower to hide his smirk. "I believe so."

"Ookami!" she called out and Zuko was surprised that the demon had been standing on deck still. "Tell me what you think of this man here?"

Ookami took the scroll and held it at arm's length. His eyes sparkled but his face remained neutral. "Damn smart guy. Then again, it doesn't take too many brains to steal from the Fire Nation."

Zuko could feel Zhao's rage reach a boiling point behind them.

"Though I have to say, I think I've seen him before," she mused. The witch waved her hand over it again and then rolled it back up. "Take a look for yourself, Admiral."

The scroll began to float back up to him and Zuko could actually feel magic happen around him. When he turned, he found the witch drawing on the deck with her chalk in fast movements. Before he could say anything, Sorano grabbed his arm tightly and whispered something right as the scroll touched Zhao's palm.

Zhao opened the scroll impatiently and stared upon the 'Blue Spirit'…

…who was a very poorly drawn figure of himself.

Roaring, he let his fists glow with power to unleash his rage on the witch.

The ship had vanished.

"Find them!" he yelled, racing around the warship to find the patchwork ship.

Sorano grinned widely and nodded to Hoshi. The demon saluted silently and let the engine come to life. The ship groaned and started to glide through the water.

Silently, she turned on her heel and pulled the prince behind her. He followed only because her grip was tighter than he imagined for such a woman.

Once below deck, she sighed and faced him, still holding his arm. "There's a spell on the ship to make us invisible and spirit-like which is basically that we can pass through solid objects. The ship doesn't accept you yet because you are considered a guest. I can't let go of you until we either get away from the bastard or I get you accepted."

Zuko shook his head in confusion.

"Basically, I let go and you fall into the water. Or, you get stuck in the Fire ship walls. Trust me, that's not a pretty sight," she mumbled, shuddering.

She tugged his arm and he had no choice but to follow her down into the ship. Sorano led him to the rooms and stopped in front of his. Taking out her chalk, she gave it to him. "Write your name on the door."

Confused, he did as she said nonetheless and watched as she smacked her hand against it, mumbling something. His name flashed, one symbol at a time, and then turned as black as night.

Grinning, she released his arm.

He expected to fall but found that his feet were still on solid ground. He looked himself over and sighed softly as he was still in one piece.

"There. Now any spell I put on the ship will also affect you." Sorano smiled as he stared in disbelief at her.

"Wait, this thing can't have a mind. It's not even alive!" he sputtered, watching as she smiled wider.

"This ship was put together by me and it has some of my power. It accepts the ones I accept by this method. I wouldn't be surprised if it started acting on its own." Smiling, she patted the wall almost affectionately.

He still didn't understand it but then again, it was magic. And magic was almost impossible to understand.

Nezu squeaked as he appeared on the stairs. "We're out of Zhao's ship now!"

"All right," she said and Zuko watched as she vanished in the blink of an eye.

The rat demon motioned his head to Zuko. "You might want to grab onto something."

Zuko frowned but quickly walked towards the demon and sat next to him, holding the railing along the stairs. He was very glad he did.

The boat suddenly lurched and the prince could actually feel it moving faster than anything he could think of. He gritted his teeth as the rat demon squealed in delight.

Just as fast as it had happened, it stopped and the Firebender almost fell flat on his face from the sudden change.

Immediately, loud cursing came from the floor above.

"Goddammit to hell and back! You couldn't wait a frickin' minute longer before you did that, Sorceress! It's gonna take me forever to fix this kitchen again!"

Nezu grinned slightly and scampered up the stairs, obviously trying to soothe the ruffled wolf.

Zuko caught his breath and stayed where he was. He couldn't believe he was still alive for a moment.

The sorceress suddenly appeared again and he stared at her ragged looking appearance. He watched as she gave him a small smile, the shadows under her eyes very visible. She nodded her head and gasped for air as she turned and headed into her room.

He sat in a confused silence and decided that his answers lied in Hoshi. Ookami could probably tell him as well but the banging in the kitchen had him skirting off. Zuko made his way up the stairs until he found himself on deck and in the sun. They were far away from any land and he spotted Hoshi leaning on the wheel.

"Hey, Zuko," the demon greeted.

Nodding, he sat on the top step and stared out to sea. "What is wrong with the sorceress?"

Hoshi turned the wheel slightly. "She's just tired. Doing that much sorcery requires a lot of energy," he explained, looking down to the prince. "Most of the time I have to stop her or she'll work herself into exhaustion." He took off his hat and ran a hand through his hair. "Don't worry though. She'll be herself in a few hours."

A silence over fell the two as Zuko watched the spell still in place on the deck. They were heading towards where the spell was pointing and to his uncle.

"How many times has she come across Zhao?" he asked, looking up at the demon.

"Three or four times." He grinned. "Each time, she's been sarcastic and always gets away." Hoshi gave a small sigh. "He's been nothing but trouble though."

"He is always trouble," Zuko grumbled.

The demon's expression turned grim. "He's not harmless though. Been a stitch in our side for a long time." Zuko gazed at him for clarification. "I shouldn't be tellin' you this. Screw it," he mumbled. "Zhao was assigned to take down the sorceress Sorano was with. I actually was under contract by the sorceress to do her bidding. When she was attacked, the sorceress wanted me to protect Sorano from the Fire Nation.

"I grabbed her and ran and the house burned down behind us. The Fire Nation came after us and managed to surround us. I fought them but Sorano ended up using her power to blast them away, one of them being Zhao. We got away and found a small ship in extreme disrepair. Sorano fixed it up and we sailed off. We've been on the sea for nearly nineteen years." He sighed. "Zhao just won't give up."

"What happened to the contract?" Zuko asked.

"It's broken. When the sorceress died, our contract broke. I've kept my promise though and protect her when I can. She doesn't like it a lot but I can't help it. Demons take their promises seriously," he said, gazing at the ocean.

The silence once again fell and the two watched the ocean and the sky.

* * *

Zuko had gotten used to the mayhem on the ship. He relaxed in the chair, watching as Ookami grumbled about the kitchen still while Nezu nibbled on a slice of fruit. Hoshi looked tired as he picked up some sort of meat and chew it thoughtfully.

The rustling happened and the prince looked up to find the witch moving around chairs to the table. She looked tired still as she grabbed a plate and perched on Hoshi's chair arm.

"Feeling better?" the demon asked.

"Bit," she yawned.

He watched her. Never had he seen her so…sluggish, he supposed. She had been bouncing with energy ever since he got here and watched as she wearily ate whatever was in front of her.

"I'll fix the kitchen tomorrow, Ookami," she mumbled.

The wolf demon waved his hand. "S'all right, Sorano. It's almost done now."

This was another surprise. She seemed sane when she was tired.

She grunted and yawned again. "I'm going to bed," she mumbled, dumping her clean plate on the table. The sorceress walked out of the room and clunked down the stairs.

"We've got to get her tired more often," Ookami said with a smile. Hoshi glared slightly but smiled as well.

* * *

Night had fallen and they hadn't gotten any closer to finding his uncle. He sat on deck, watching the stars as they glittered mockingly at him. They had a place to belong.

He didn't turn when the patter of small feet climbed up the stairs and Nezu poked his head out from the hatch. The rat demon stared at the sky for a moment.

"Anything?" he chirped.

Hoshi shook his head.

The demon snorted and scampered up to sit next to the prince. Obviously, he didn't care who he was at the moment.

Maybe he belonged with these misfits.

"There!"

Zuko's head shot up and he stared at the sky as a streak of red flashed. "A shooting star?"

"No, it's a falling star," Hoshi said grimly.

Ookami suddenly appeared, watching the sky as it was lit up with red, blue, and yellow streaks. A few minutes later, a tired Sorano climbed the stairs and gazed at the sky sadly.

One star suddenly shot down and landed besides the boat. It jumped up and Zuko stared in awe as a small figure raced across the water before it fizzled and sank.

"They're alive?" he asked, staring as another one found the same fate.

"Barely," Ookami mumbled. "Once they hit earth, they run or sink quietly. The ones that run often are the ones who don't wanna die."

He stared as another one started running before his life faded and he sank without a sound.

"We have to help them," he whispered.

"It's no use. Often they don't want to deal with humans or demons. And besides, Sorano won't let you. She knows what happens when you save a falling star. They're like demons, they want a contract. You give them life and yet they still want more." Ookami sighed as Sorano made her way down into the hatch again. "And some want the worst possible thing. It's not worth to save one."

Zuko fell silent and watched the rest of the stars as they fell into the graveyard. He wondered what had happened to make her stop caring about the stars.

* * *

He had fallen asleep after the last stars had fallen. As quickly as that happened,Zuko was roughly shaken awake from a peaceful dream by a large hand. Mumbling, he blinked and stared up as Hoshi stared down at him.

"Get up. You're in danger," he mumbled.


	6. Contract

No reviews but ah well.

The cliffhanger revealed! What will happen?

Disclaimer: I own my demons and the witch. And the ship. (sticks tongue out)

* * *

**Chapter 5 – _Keiyaku_**

"What?"

Zuko stared as the demon turned to the open door. What in the world?

"No time," he mumbled, grabbing the prince and dragging him out of bed. Hoshi half carried, half dragged the Firebender down the hall and up the flights of stairs to the mess area. He kept checking behind them, as though to see if they were being followed.

"What is going on?" he asked as Hoshi let go of him. He was surprised to find the other two demons already here; Ookami in a pair of black pants only and Nezu in an oversized shirt and pants. Hoshi himself only wore a pair of brown pants that seemed a size too small.

"Sorano's having a lil' bit of trouble," Hoshi said.

"Little?" Nezu squeaked. "She almost bit my head off!"

"Stop beating around the bush, Hoshi," Ookami growled. He faced Zuko, a grim expression on his face. "Remember when I told you about the falling stars?" At the prince's nod, he continued. "Sorano saved one when she was thirteen. She went out alone when they started falling and caught one before it hit the ground. She didn't want it to die and neither did it. So she struck a deal with it but it wouldn't take on another form. It wanted to live inside her body."

"We heard her screamin' up a storm and ran to get her," Hoshi added, sitting on a chair. "Her body wasn't accepting the star and was tryin' to fight it. We brought her back to the ship and did as much as we could while her body accepted the star. She was out for three days straight."

"What does that have to do with this?" he asked.

A roar sounded throughout the boat.

"Well, the star she saved happened to have a dragon demon living inside of it." Zuko stared in confusion. "All stars are demons that have been banished or vanquished," Hoshi explained.

"She managed to pick a fickle one and now it won't let her go. It's taken over her body for the night. Luckily, she's put a barrier on the quarter's hallway so that it can't leave and come and eat us. Well, mainly you, Zuko. It seems to like humans." Ookami smiled grimly.

Zuko sat in a chair and tried to take in the new information. "What do we do?"

"Nothing," Hoshi mumbled. "Just sit back and relax. It'll pass by morning. She can't get near us until she takes over again. She'll probably rip your room apart though."

Nezu had curled up in an overstuffed chair, snoring lightly. The small demon wrapped his tail around him and slept on without a care in the world.

The wolf demon kicked one of the chairs, frowning when it didn't give. He hit it with his fist and grinned when it finally lied out. Grunting, he settled on it, lying on his side, his tail draped across his body.

Hoshi sat up, dozing off on his hand as he seemed to be standing watch, just incase.

He stared at the scene. Zuko couldn't believe this. These demons trusted the sorceress even if she was being controlled by a strange demon. Ookami was already snoring, his tail and ears twitching. Nezu was mumbling in his sleep and Hoshi had slipped off on his hand. His blond hair hung in his face and his ears twitched like the wolf's.

Quietly, he stood and carefully made his way around the room to where the mess area met the hall. He turned to make sure he hadn't woken any of them up and smirked. Zuko turned to walk out and stopped.

Sorano was staring at him but he could feel it wasn't her. The eyes had turned to a deep gold and she had very long fangs. Growls rumbled in her throat as she eyed him like she was measuring him up.

He backed up slowly, one hand braced on the wall. She growled again and bared the long fangs as her eyes took on a primal rage. Zuko let another thought cross his mind as he imagined himself being ripped apart by her as he now noticed the long claws on her hands.

She lunged at him.

He braced himself and brought his arm up to fend her off but he didn't feel anything land on him. Opening his eyes, he stared in surprise as she shook her head and prodded the space between the mess area and the hallway. The witch hissed as something deflected her and growled again. She threw her body against it and Zuko stared as she bounced off a barrier.

Even if she couldn't get in, she paced in front of the barrier and watched him with primal eyes. He backed away and decided the safest area was with the demons. Zuko settled himself on a chair and hoped that the barrier would stay strong until morning.

* * *

Zuko didn't know he had fallen asleep until he heard Ookami snapping awake with a grunt. He sat up in the chair, blinking and looking around the mess area. The wolf demon rolled off the chair and stretched like a dog. He gave himself a shake and stood up, popping his back out. "Mornin'," he mumbled. 

The Firebender nodded and found his neck ached from the position he had slept in. The sun shone brightly through the window. He rolled his shoulders as the wolf demon strode to the hall and stopped short.

"Damn," he grumbled, squatting down besides the witch.

Hoshi startled the prince by snapping up, yawning widely. "What's happened?" he asked, disoriented.

"She broke that barrier. Don't know why she didn't come in here though," he said, moving around the sorceress.

Zuko and Hoshi joined him, staring down at her. She was curled up in a small ball, sleeping soundly. Shrugging, the demon leaned down and nudged her shoulder, smiling when she mumbled and swatted at his arm.

"She's back to bein' herself," he said with a smile. "Question is what stopped her from eating Zuko?"

Glaring, Zuko turned back to the open space and faced the demons. "There was a barrier here last night."

Both demons looked confused and Hoshi started to examine the wall. Zuko told them of what had happened last night when they had all been asleep. Ookami frowned and watched Hoshi.

"I don't see any of her marks when she does a spell," Hoshi mused, rubbing his head.

"That's weird, even for this ship," the wolf demon muttered. "Then again, this thing has surprised us. Maybe it doesn't like death."

"Or fed off his fear," the other demon guessed.

While the two guessed theories, Zuko stared at the wall and gave it a pat.

Maybe this thing was alive.

* * *

The day began as normal as any day on this weird ship. Zuko chewed on a strip of bacon as he stifled a yawn. Hoshi was already on deck steering the ship and Nezu had taken the duty of watering the plants downstairs. He did want to see the arboretum, mostly because he wanted to find out how trees survived in this ship. The prince just couldn't find any other stairs that would lead down into the bottom floor. 

Sorano was passed out in her room after Hoshi had carried her to bed. She'd be out for the entire day almost so anything they needed was to be done by hand and without magic. Hoshi had explained though that the finding spell would still work because it had been already done. Though that did mean that the dishes had to be hand washed since the dishwashing table was fueled from Sorano.

Zuko took his plate down the two flights of stairs to the kitchen and almost hesitated. The prince of the Fire Nation, scrubbing dishes like a peasant. His uncle would never let him live it down.

He watched as Ookami took the leftovers from last night and basically reheated them and arranged them in a different manner before dumping them in a stew. "Don't worry. It won't kill you," he muttered.

That he took as his cue and left the wolf demon to his work. Zuko wandered around the ship, blinking as he came across the quarters. He hadn't been down here mostly because of the fact that he didn't want to see what had happened to his room. Now it seemed curiosity had overcome him.

The door had been ripped off of its hinges and was thrown haphazardly in the middle of the floor. There were deep scratches in the wood around the doorframe and the metal was dented. When he took a look inside, he found feathers from the pillow and bed everywhere. The bed itself was in half and he couldn't find any remains of the pillow. A leg from the nightstand was actually embedded in the wall. The desk had been ripped apart and the basin was smashed on the floor. His shirt, however, was in one piece still and that surprised him more than anything. He grabbed it and pulled it on even if it was dirty.

Deciding that he would wait until Sorano could fix it, he made his way to the deck once again. It seemed to be the only place he could sit and think.

"Your room's a mess, isn't it?" Hoshi asked as soon as he climbed up the stairs.

Zuko frowned at him and took his spot on the top stair. "She left my shirt alone."

"Yeah, we haven't figured that out yet," the demon said, thinking. "Something must've been goin' through her mind," he mumbled.

He stared at the finding spell, nodding as the demon was steering straight towards his uncle. "How does one break a contract?"

"Hm?" Hoshi mumbled, looking down at him. "Break the contract?" The demon rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well, first you have to understand what the contract calls for. For example, the demon receives something of the person while the person receives something of the demon. To break that, you'd need to return both items to their proper owners." He gave the wheel a turn. "Why do you want to know?"

"Why haven't you helped the witch with her contract?" he asked, glancing at the demon.

"First, neither she nor the demon can say anything about the contract, especially how to break it. She can leave subtle clues and all but she can't say that they are clues. Second, we've been tryin' but we haven't been able to put the clues together. We would have broken it, believe me. That demon's a bastard." Hoshi sighed and gave him a look. "You want to help break the contract?"

"I never said that," Zuko defended but the demon smiled.

"Didn't have to. Let me tell you something though, don't be fallin' and pinin' for her. I've seen quite a few boys get their hearts broken by her," he said. "Love isn't in that demon's vocabulary and won't let her. Just be careful," the demon finished.

"I would never!" he yelled, glaring at the demon while he grinned.

"Just sayin'," he laughed, waving his hand. "Ookami's got the list of clues in his room if you want to look at it. Maybe you'll have better luck than us."

* * *

He couldn't believe this room. It looked like a cave he had seen before. The door was even like the mouth of a cave and he finally understood what the window was for. Sorano had magicked the side of the ship to let sunlight in at dawn and it seemed to be Ookami's alarm. The back of the "cave room" had a pallet on the ground with a couple of keepsakes around it. 

Ookami leaned down and fished around under the pallet and pulled out a well used piece of parchment. He handed it to the prince and smoothed his bed down.

"This is it?" he asked, looking up at the wolf demon.

"That's all we've managed to get in thirteen years," he replied gruffly. "Now get out of here."

Zuko left the demon and took the roll of parchment up to the mess area which would be empty enough for him to think in. His room was tempting but the mess in it was what drove him off.

He now sat on the chair that seemed to be his as no one else sat in it but him. The parchment was laid out on the table and he was trying to piece together the words written on it. Zuko had no idea why he was doing this. Maybe it was because he needed something to obsess over. He couldn't go after the Avatar on this ship so he might as well put his mind to work on something.

'_Four, fire, deity, banish, star, doll, water, blossom or cherry, earth, air, love, magic'_

Thinking, he tried to put several words together but ended up becoming more confused. He had managed to put the four elements together but didn't know what that meant. The others had written several guesses on the parchment but hadn't managed to connect anything besides the four elements. The rest was a bunch of meaningless jumble.

This was going to take a long time.


	7. Remembrance

Thank you My Silver Wound for reviewing! Ew, car wreck…hope it's all okay.

I still have writer's block with Oyu…sorry everyone reading it.

This chapter is slightly filler but there's also more about the past here. It's also less Zuko-centered. He was just not needed for a couple parts.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Avatar_, no matter how many times I wish I did. I own my demons, my sorceress, and my ship. :p

* * *

**Chapter 6 - _Tsuikai_**

"You've got him working on the contract now?"

Hoshi just nodded. "He actually asked how to break one." The demon turned the wheel slightly as the needle pointed north. "It'll give him somethin' to do."

Ookami frowned and tapped his arm lightly. "Hoshi, _we_ haven't even figured out what the hell those hints mean."

"I know," he said, smiling. "It'll help to have a new mind thinkin'."

The wolf demon's frown grew. "Hoshi, you did warn him, didn't you?"

"Yeah," the demon replied, still smiling. "I told him."

Grunting, Ookami watched the sea and sighed. "Maybe this is for the best."

Hoshi chuckled and gave his friend a pat on the shoulder. "Zuko's good at heart, even if he tries to not act like it."

"Hoshi, you do know what he's been doing for two years, don't you?" Ookami asked.

"Uh, no," he said, looking confused.

"He's been hunting the Avatar, you oaf," the wolf grumbled, glaring at the mast.

"Come now, Ookami," Hoshi said, the smile still evident. "You know the entire Fire Nation is trying to catch the Avatar. Besides, the kid doesn't have a home with the Fire Nation anymore. His uncle's probably the only family he has left."

"How do you know that?" the wolf demon questioned, staring at him.

"I've been on earth for forty years. You learn something or other in that time. Just think about. The Avatar's probably been back for what? Four or five months? He's been searching for a guy who hasn't been here for years." Hoshi's smile faded and he sighed, running a hand through his hair. "His own father doesn't want him anymore."

Ookami gave a strange sound and Hoshi gave the demon a reassuring smile. The two watched the sea until the wolf made his way to the hatch.

"You don't have to worry, Ookami," Hoshi called out. "I'm sure they don't blame you."

The wolf's eyes shone as he stepped down below the deck.

* * *

Sorano showed up at dinner, acting more like herself. She leapt through the door and landed right on top of Zuko's chair this time, grinning widely. "Good morning!" she called out.

"It's five in the afternoon," Ookami grumbled.

"It is?" she asked, blinking in surprise. "Oh well!" By that time, the sorceress had settled herself on the top of his chair and was wolfing down the plate. He was almost surprised she didn't try to eat the poor plate.

"How're you feeling, Sorano?" Hoshi asked, grinning as she nearly choked.

"Much better!" Grinning, she suddenly seemed to notice that Zuko was calmly eating under her. "Oh! I still have to fix your room. Sorry about that," Sorano apologized, giving him a sheepish smile.

"As long as you do not try to eat me again," Zuko muttered.

"I said I was sorry!" she protested but still smiled. "I wasn't completely myself. Damn demon," she mumbled, frowning.

"Don't get her on the demon. She'll rant for hours," Ookami said. "I particularly don't have the patience to deal with her rants today."

She grinned and the demons left, dumping their finished plates on the table. All three went about on their normal business while Zuko calmly stayed with the witch.

Sorano climbed down from his chair and settled in one across from him. The grin still played across her face. "Hoshi's told me you've taken on the contract."

He blinked and stared at her.

"I can talk like this about it. I just can't tell you anything about it specifically," she answered his silent question. "Good luck with it. Your own mission will help." Sorano softened and smiled, standing and crossing the small space between them. "Luckily he's not dead yet," she whispered. And with a grin, she vanished.

Zuko sat still for a few moments and took out the parchment tucked in his belt. He had found a pen earlier with a bottle of ink and pushed aside his plate. Picking the pen up, he dipped the tip in the ink and wrote on the list of hints 'avatar'. He then connected the four elements and the word 'deity.'

Now all that was left was 'star, doll, banish, blossom/cherry, love, and magic.'

Maybe he would need a bit of help with the rest.

* * *

"I still think the star has to do with the demon," Hoshi mumbled as he steered the ship. The two were on deck, deciphering the clues still. They hadn't gotten any closer but Hoshi was ecstatic to hear he had come across another clue.

"I don't think so," Zuko mumbled, rubbing his scalp. "Wait a moment," he said, turning towards the demon. "Are you a falling star?"

He grinned, and stared out to sea. "Yep. Sorano's mentor caught me when she was lil' and kept me for quite a while."

"How old are you?" the prince asked in shock. He had heard demons aged slowly but still!

"Let's see…I've been on earth for forty years and I've been a star for much longer than that…so maybe I'm about six or seven hundred." Hoshi grinned at the Firebender's shocked face. "What? I'm about a mid-aged demon. There's a whole lot more who've been alive since humans came about."

Zuko sat still and tried to piece together the demon. "Why were you banished?"

He sighed and leaned on the wheel. "Some people are prejudiced against any kind of demon, no matter what they act like. I got caught in a town like that and a priest banished me before I could say anythin'." His expression saddened and he sighed again. "Ever since then I would wish that people wouldn't judge someone just because of what they are. Sorano's good at seeing the real person inside. That might be why she saved you from drowning. She didn't care who you were, she cared about what was inside."

"I am not a saint," Zuko mumbled, turning away.

"No one is, Zuko," Hoshi agreed. "Everyone's got good and bad inside of them. It just depends on the person on which is stronger."

"Except Zhao."

The demon laughed, his body shaking with the force of it. "That might be true!" He took in a large breath and let it out. "Still, boy, you're one of a kind. Not many stand up for what's right in the Fire Nation."

Zuko wasn't surprised to hear the demon knew about his banishment. Almost everyone did. Besides, the sorceress had probably heard it from Zhao or some other Fire Nation. He stared out to sea and wondered what kind of magic was working itself on him. Never had his memories from the past come back to haunt him in such a light that he could remember every detail.

Maybe it wasn't magic. Perhaps he was seeing things from the demon's viewpoint.

Sorano's head poked out from the hatch. "Come on! We've got everything set up!"

* * *

He often wondered how these people calmed down after being at sea for so long and being at each other's throats. Now he knew.

Before he had known it, there was a mason jar in his hand filled to the brim with a strange amber liquid. Sitting back, he watched as the crew of four laughed and he joined them in an almost toast. Zuko took a cautious sip of the drink, finding it was not alcoholic but had a sweet taste to it. Probably some fruit drink.

Hoshi had downed his glass and refilled it from the pitcher in the middle. Ookami was rolling his eyes as Nezu laughed.

Sorano stood and the room fell quiet which surprised Zuko most of all. "We've had a rough couple of days, with Zhao and the demon and all. Tonight though we relax and hope to whatever gods there are that we get this prince back home so he can stop mooching off of us."

Zuko frowned and glared at her. She winked and gave him a grin while the demons chuckled.

"Tonight, though, is also a night of remembrance." Her grin faded. "Tonight we remember the troops of Squadron D-1 who were outnumbered when they fought bravely. Without their bravery, we would have never met our beloved Ookami," she said, giving the wolf demon a small smile. "May they be remembered in our minds as well as others."

A general consent went through the room as the demons bowed their heads. After a moment of silence, the crew said something Zuko couldn't understand. Sorano gave the wolf a one-armed hug, ruffling his hair as though to help cheer him up.

Ookami had been involved with the war. That would explain his skill with the knife but that could also be because of his cooking abilities. Zuko actually remembered the small effort the Fire Nation had made to recruit demons. It had been easy after the entire world thought that all the demons were sided with the Fire Nation. They really had no choice but to go against the world. He didn't remember much of what happened with the demons but he knew D-1 had been a complete disaster. Zuko was surprised that even one survived.

Hoshi had started what sounded like a bar song. He had heard many from his uncle's 'Music Night' and hoped that this one wouldn't go on about ladies and drunks.

It was, however, a tame one. Hoshi had a strange lilt to his voice as he sang about 'outsmarting the admiral.' Zuko found himself smiling slightly as the rest joined in, each singing a line. After a good twenty lines or so, the crew laughed and Sorano began a verse which was something about magic and demons.

He felt at peace here with the laughing crew as Sorano leapt in the air and added to her own verse with gestures. The demons clapped to a mute beat as she bowed and flopped back on her chair.

Ookami's performance had Zuko thrown off guard. He knew wolf demons were "famous" for their voices but he wouldn't expect the gruff Ookami to have much of one. Well, it was a lot better than listening to his uncle try to sing.

Zuko listened as the wolf, despite the emotions before, began singing about the life of being with an insane witch. He found himself chuckling as Sorano faked innocence and had a horrified expression as she listened.

The chaos died down as they calmed, sighing softly. Nezu turned in first, his small body moving in between the chairs. Hoshi dispersed next along with Sorano and finally Zuko set his jar down and left the wolf demon alone in the mess area.

A full moon hung mournfully in the sky.

* * *

He swore now that every time he tried to sleep peacefully, he ended up being woken up by something or another. Tonight, it was a mournful howling that shook his senses. Groaning, the prince got out of bed and opened his door, trying to find what was making the god awful noise.

"Go back to bed," Sorano mumbled as she moved past him.

"What?" he asked, watching as she paused.

"Ookami's just feeling lonely. It happens every time a full moon comes. I'll go get him," she whispered, waving him off.

Zuko frowned slightly and disappeared back into his room only to reappear moments later to follow the witch.

* * *

His head tilted back and he howled loudly, his voice carrying along the open sea. His head rested on a support rope and he growled slightly, howling again. He gripped the rope as he leaned over the sea, staring into the murky depths. If only he could just jump into it and die peacefully.

An arm wrapped around his shoulders and another across his chest. They pulled him back from the railing and held him protectively. "You thinking of suicide?"

Ookami leaned against her, his larger body almost dwarfing her. "No, no," he mumbled, his eyes glazed over slightly. "Just mourning," he whispered.

Sorano held him as he stared in a disoriented daze. The full moon was affecting him, making his emotions stronger and anything he thought of doing, he probably would do. Including suicide.

She led him to the stairs and made him sit down, gripping his shoulders to keep him still. The witch sighed as the wolf demon shook slightly. "Ookami? You okay?"

His whole body convulsed and she held him tighter, reminding him she was there. "I miss them."

"I know," she whispered. "We'll find them. I promised you, boy."

"I want to go home," he mumbled, his ears drooping. "I want to see them again." He leaned into her, feeling almost like a pup. Ookami whimpered, his ears pressed against his skull as he trembled.

"Calm down, Wolfie. I promised you, we'll find your mate and your pups. We'll find them," she whispered softly as he curled up into her.

The sorceress held him as he cried silently, shudders coursing through him. She calmed him with her magic, rocking slightly as his tears slowed.

"Better?" she asked as he whimpered. He nodded against her. Sorano pulled him to his feet, making him lean on her and took him down to his quarters. She laid him down on his pallet, whisking a blanket from nowhere and draping it over his form. Smiling gently, she ran a hand through his curtain of hair, soothing him into sleep.

He whined in his sleep and she picked up the small doll next to his bed and placed it in the crook of his arm. The wolf demon quieted and slept on.

Sorano closed the door and strode to Zuko's, knocking. Even though he showed up looking like he had just woken up, she knew better. "Don't say anything. He doesn't like it when people see him at his weakest."

Zuko nodded and opened his mouth but she answered his question before anything came out.

"He doesn't want to give up the last thing he has of his family. It'll be gone forever, whether they're still alive or not." She sighed and patted the ship. "You're on your own for breakfast tomorrow. He won't function right for several hours." Sorano headed for her bedroom, calling out, "Night."

He nodded and closed the door. Zuko sighed and stared out the window.

'_What would it be like to not know if the only family you had left was still alive?_'


	8. Cherry Blossom

Thank you My Silver Wound for reviewing! I'm glad no one was hurt. I'm glad you're trying to solve the puzzle as well. And yes, the title does mean sorcery or magic in Japanese (well, according to my dictionary).

Please read and review!

Disclaimer: I own the demons, the ship, and the sorceress. I like my demons…but sadly Zuko is not mine.

* * *

**Chapter 7 –_ Sakura_**

Zuko rolled over in bed, trying to block the sun out once again. He was unsuccessful. Silently, he cursed the witch for having the boat's side face that way.

Knowing he wouldn't sleep any longer, he slid out of bed and stretched. Rolling his shoulders, he pulled on his shirt and was surprised it smelled like it had been washed. He could only guess the ship automatically washed his clothes for him.

The prince walked out and stopped by the wolf demon's room. From here, he could hear the demon snoring but the window had been covered by a shade. Sorano's doing he supposed.

He would've never known that demons could have any kind of relationship like humans did. It was almost surprising to say that demons were just humans, though of course they had some differences like maybe extra appendages or horns. Zuko frowned slightly and continued on his way, leaving the hallway.

* * *

Ookami stirred in his sleep, mumbling softly and curling up more protectively around the doll. It had been his daughter's and had been one of her favorites. It was the only item he had that reminded him of his lost family. He whimpered, trying to remember his mate's voice.

The wolf demon held the doll as he fought awake and stared at the empty room. A sharp pang went through his heart and he rested on his pallet, clutching the doll as though it was a lifeline.

* * *

Zuko chewed on some sort of fruit for his breakfast as he leaned on the counter in the kitchen. Hoshi had grabbed a loaf of bread and was cutting it into slices. He handed Zuko a couple of slices and some slices of cheese. The demon wolfed his portion down and left to steer the ship.

He turned his head when Sorano came in. Her hat was once again on her head and she picked up a round, orange fruit, peeling off the skin.

"Sleep well?" she asked, taking a bite of the strange fruit.

The Firebender nodded as he folded the slice of bread in half and took a bite.

Sorano gulped the fruit down, grabbed what was left of the loaf, and gave him a grin. "I'm heading down to the arboretum. Want to come?"

Zuko found himself nodding and followed her down the stairs to the hallway. They passed by the demon's door again and Zuko was still surprised the demon did not come out. She opened the door to her room and Zuko stopped. He may not have much experience with women but he knew that their rooms were off limits. Unless, of course, he wanted to be beaten by some strange weapon.

"Would you stop being a moron and come on? Man, things have not changed at all!" she huffed.

He stared at her for a moment longer before following her into her room.

A long table covered with books, papers, scrolls, and bowls stood in the middle of the room. It was slightly lower in the middle than at the legs from the weight of the items on it. The walls were covered with shelves, each crammed with jars, bottles, bowls, and books. One jar he stopped to stare at had a large eye in it and it stared right back at him. Unnerved, he moved back again and glanced at the books, finding he couldn't read the symbols written across the cover.

"Sorcerer's writing. Takes a while to learn how to read," Sorano explained, smiling. She moved easily across the room while Zuko stepped over piles of books, wincing at the dust gathered on them. He found an opening in the wall and peeked in quickly, finding another room. The prince guessed that was where her bed was and the room he was standing in was where she worked on potions and spells.

"Come on," she mumbled, tugging on a doorknob. The door popped open and she grinned widely.

Zuko stared into the dark space now revealed and finally found a flight of stairs leading down. The witch was already moving quickly down them and he had to jog to catch up. He paused when his feet hit level ground again and stared around him.

Windows from the floor to the ceiling were the walls of the crazy room. Trees stood several feet tall while flowers and bushes grew around them. Pots of every size and shape were placed near the edges of the room and around a tile path that led around the room. Birds chirped from their perches in the trees while insects of all kinds buzzed around the room.

This place had to be magicked. There was no way all this could fit on the ship.

She led him down the path to the middle where a dragon fountain bubbled, clear water spewing from the beast's mouth and landing in the water below. He noticed the tile under him was pearl white and sapphire blue, split precisely in half. There was also fire red tile where the white tile stopped and then emerald green tile where the blue and red stopped. It was divided around the fountain in fourths.

"I've got my own system here. Fire Nation plants in the red," she said, pointing to where the red tile wrapped around a section. "Green tile for the Earth Kingdom plants, blue for Water Tribe, and white for Air Nomads."

He was surprised that this was more organized than the room above it. He strode over to the red, staring at the plants that grew. Zuko could recognize several of them surprisingly, one being aloe. Now that was a necessity for any Firebender.

Sorano grinned. "I use that for my special burn salve," she said, watching him move around in the arboretum. "Fox's Den," she told him when he paused at a red bush with black stems. It rose at least seven feet off the ground. "It's hollow inside. Used for shelter spells."

The prince stared up at the large tree standing tall in the middle of the plot, smiling slightly as he remembered this one. There was one in the castle's courtyard that he had often climbed when he was young. The large red blossoms with yellow insides reminded him of fire.

"Dragon's Oak," she mumbled. "One of my finest specimens. It's blooming now. The flowers are used for fire spells."

Zuko moved around the room slowly, watching as birds dove to eat the bread on the ground. He guessed Sorano had thrown it down when he wasn't looking. The Firebender paused at several flowers. Each time he did, Sorano would tell him what it was called and what she used it for. He suddenly paused by a large tree and stared at the strange pastel pink blossoms that fluttered down when a bird would move.

"Cherry tree," she said, smiling at the large tree. "My favorite because of these beautiful blossoms." She caught one and handed it to Zuko to examine. "People believe these are the most beautiful flowers in the world. I found this tree as a sapling at the Southern Air Temple. Sadly, there were no monks there for me to talk to." Sorano saddened as she stared into the tree. "Legend says that these blossoms can cure anything because of their purity."

He caught the subtle hint and just nodded. Continuing, he stopped suddenly as a large, colorful bird flapped down and perched on his shoulder. It squawked and gazed at him with large, black eyes.

"Garasue!" Sorano laughed, holding her arm out for the bird. It squawked again and flapped over to her, perching on her arm. "Zuko doesn't seem to like birds like you."

"I've had a run in with pirates. That bird was bad enough," he growled, managing to keep his face neutral as she grinned. The bird cooed and then flapped off to rest in the tree.

"Poor Zuko." She pouted while her eyes sparkled. "The birds just keep picking on you."

Glaring, he watched her smile widely. She moved easily enough through the plants and stood in front of the fountain. Sorano picked up a large can and scooped water into it. Still smiling, she flung the water out of the can and waved her hand, the water falling into the pots. Zuko watched her as she watered her potted plants this way, shaking his head at the cheap move.

"It's easier than watering eighty pots the normal way," she muttered at him, making him smirk.

"Have it your way," he said, shrugging. Zuko sighed and stared out through one of the large windows. "What was he talking about last night?" the prince asked, feeling the sorceress tense slightly behind him.

"He misses his family, much in the way you miss yours. His is stronger though because of his connection to his mate. He knows that at least she is alive, just not anything else." Sorano finished her chore and stood next to him.

"What happened to them?" the Firebender questioned.

"I shouldn't tell you but I know those boys have been talking about me," she grumbled. "Ookami used to own a restaurant before demons were recruited into the war. He had a mate, a dog demon named Takara, and two pups, his first born daughter named Mika and his son named Taro. Takara was pregnant then with twins. They were chased from the town when the people learned the Fire Nation was recruiting demons.

"Ookami was forced to join the war after that. The Fire Nation threatened his family when he wouldn't join at first. He was placed into D-1 and they trained him for a year. He was sent to his death then but he surprised them all by surviving and running away.

"He wandered for years after that, trying to find his mate and his pups. We found him after the mob had tried to kill him and he was in bad shape. For fifteen years, we've been helping him search for his family," she said, staring out at sea. "And for fifteen years we've failed. I'm surprised Ookami managed to keep himself in check."

"He's been looking for them for…"

"For thirty years. We still have found no hide or hair of them either." Sorano pulled her hat off and fiddled with it. "The doll is his only reminder of them. It keeps him going I guess."

Zuko frowned slightly as he thought. It had to be because he wasn't near the men on his ship that he was thinking like this. His uncle would be surprised that he had even thought of this.

The Fire Nation had ruined their lives. For good or bad he couldn't figure out though. He still didn't know Nezu's story but he could guess what had happened. The Fire Nation had chased out its own people, had turned seemingly good demons against their home.

He actually thought of ditching his homeland then.

* * *

"Hoshi?"

"Hm?" the demon mumbled, turning to face the prince. He had sat down on the step after his "tour" through the arboretum and had started working on the clues once again. Zuko had crossed out the 'cherry or blossom' clue and he written under it 'cherry blossom.'

"Does Sorano have any books about falling stars?" he asked.

Hoshi was pleasantly surprised at this turn in the young man. Never had he called Sorano by anything other than 'the witch' or 'the sorceress.' "I really don't know. I haven't paid much attention to the books."

"You have not even considered she might have a book about this?" Zuko asked, one eyebrow raised.

"Hey, she's got some pretty graphic books in there with perfect depictions of what happens when the spell goes _wrong_," he said, shuddering slightly.

"You can read sorcerer's writing, can't you?" the prince questioned.

"Of course!" the demon replied, sounding slightly hurt. "I had to live with a sorceress for twenty-one years before I met Sorano. I picked up a lot of stuff then." Hoshi then realized what was going on. "Wait, what do you have in mind?"

Zuko gave him a smirk. "When do you think we can steal a book on falling stars from her?"

"Only when she's out. She knows where everything is in her work room. She'll miss the book right away." Hoshi made sure they were heading the right way.

"When does she go out?"

* * *

"Ookami?" Sorano whispered, knocking on his door. "You okay?" When she didn't get an answer, she carefully opened the door and peeked in. She shut the door behind her and saw his form lying silently on his pallet. The witch slowly moved towards him and knelt beside him. "Ookami?"

"Go 'way," he mumbled.

"Wolfie," she whispered, rubbing his head. "You can't lie here all day."

"Yes I can." His ear twitched and he curled up more protectively around the doll.

She sighed heavily. "If I promise to go scout the islands, will you come out?"

There was a long pause as the wolf demon thought over this deal. Finally, with a muffled sigh, he nodded. "All right."

"Good!" she chirped, leaping to her feet. "You've got to make dinner."

"Cheap move, witch." He glared at her with bloodshot eyes but a smile graced him.

"I know," Sorano grinned. "Get up, now."

He pushed himself up and ran a clawed hand through his hair. "I really hate you at times."

"I know."

* * *

"Now, behave you guys, I want to see this ship in one piece when I get back," she threatened, giving each one a small glare. "I should be back a little after dusk."

"Yeah, yeah, have a good flight," Hoshi said, waving his hand.

"I'm serious, boys," Sorano warned. "I don't want to come back to see this ship being taken over."

Zuko just nodded, staring at the strange contraption beside her. It sort of looked like the Avatar's glider but larger and more complicated. As well as it looked to be made of several different pieces of material. It looked almost like the ship; a giant patchwork flying…thing.

"Make sure Ookami's okay for me," she whispered to Hoshi and Zuko, smiling slightly and stepping back. "If I'm not back by midnight, send one of the sprites to follow."

"Yeah, yeah, we got it, Sorano," the demon said again, shooing her with his hand. "Get going."

Sorano smiled and hugged the demon. She then backed away and, to Zuko's complete surprise, hugged him as well. He froze and watched her cautiously as she chuckled and backed off. A huge grin painted her face as she held back a laugh. "Shy much?"

She gave both the rat and wolf demon a hug as well before grabbing the large contraption. She hooked herself to several lines, sliding her arms into what looked like wings and holding onto a handle. When she spread the large, black wings, she looked like a huge, black, menacing bird.

The witch bent over, looking like she was about to start a race. She started running, the wings spread wide as it caught a gust of wind. Her arms pulled the wings down as she jumped into the air.

Zuko stared as she soared up into the cloudy sky, the wings flapping with every move of her arms. He watched her until she was a small dot in the sky and turned to Hoshi. "I am guessing this is as good as any time to find that book?"


	9. Interlude

A very short interlude about how Iroh is coping with the disappearance of his nephew. The Pai Sho (don't know if that is the actual name. I got it from Distant Horizon Avatar site) game is the one we see Iroh playing very frequently.

Disclaimer: I do not own _Avatar_. I own my characters and only that.

* * *

_**Makuai**_

He was worried.

No, that was an understatement. He was extremely worried.

Iroh had already lost two games of Pai Sho, much to the amazement of the crew. He was unbeatable. But they also understood why he, of all people, would lose.

His nephew hadn't been seen for five days. There had been no sign of him at the island where he should have been. Iroh had ordered the crew to search the entire island but they had found nothing. No ship they had found had seen the prince at all and several seemed to rejoice in the news.

The retired general struggled to keep his mind off the inevitable. His nephew could be dead but he refused to think that way. Zuko was a survivor.

The helmsman had steered straight to a port with plenty of shopping to get the man's mind off his nephew for a while. Shopping had always cheered the older man up.

Ironically, it was the same port that Admiral Zhao had stopped in to figure out the best way to capture the witch. He had sailed north to find the Avatar away from the Earth Kingdom port he had last seen the damned witch.

"Admiral Zhao," the older man greeted, faking a smile for the officer. "Is all well?"

"No," the man snarled, his gaze hardening. "It is none of your concern though." Then he smirked, his face fading from anger to almost a cruel joke. "But maybe it is. I seem to recall seeing our mighty prince on the same ship with a traitorous witch and a crew of demons. But I am sure you know all about this," he said, smirking cruelly.

"My nephew is alive?" Iroh asked, barely containing his joy. A grin crossed his features.

This was not the reaction the admiral wanted.

"He maybe dead by now. Demons are known to feed on humans," Zhao growled, frowning at the man's glee.

"I do not doubt that, Admiral Zhao, but there is a chance that Prince Zuko is alive!" Iroh nearly shouted, his grin wider than ever. His nephew's luck!

"Trust me, he has probably been turned into a frog for the witch's pleasure by now," the man snarled.

"Tell me, Admiral Zhao, but did this sorceress happen to be of the Fire Nation and with a very strange ship?" the retired general asked, still grinning.

He glared at the older man but answered him. "Yes, she did."

"Wonderful!" the man exclaimed, his grin getting wider if that was possible. "I know this sorceress by reputation," Iroh said carefully. "I am sure she would not do anything to him."

The admiral snarled, barely controlling his anger. "I am departing now," he growled. "Good luck with your search."

Iroh watched as the ship departed. He waited until he was certain Zhao was looking at him before grinning and waving at the leaving ship. The blast of fire that shot into the air made him happier than ever.

When the crew asked him why he was in such high spirits, he merely waved them off and said they should take the day off. They took their fortune gratefully and left, leaving the old man to his thoughts.

His nephew was alive! He still couldn't believe the prince's luck. Sorano was an excellent sorceress who had a hard time leaving anything in pain. She had saved his nephew and he knew as long as the prince didn't do anything stupid or insensitive, he would be safe until she managed to get him back.

"With luck, Prince Zuko, you'll find something else you've been looking for."


	10. Accident

Thank you My Silver Wound for reviewing! You're welcome as well! I really think the easiest person to keep in-character is Iroh. I don't really know why.

First off: I am not that great at fight scenes. So sue me. Second off: I think Zuko's a little OOC but that's okay, he's supposed to be.

Also Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince is depressing at the end. That's all I'm saying.

Disclaimer: I own my demons, my sorceress, and the ship, as well as a few plants. Zuko is not mine nor is Uncle Iroh. :p

* * *

**Chapter 8 – _Ihen_**

"Well, this is as close as we can get," Hoshi said, holding up a very large leather-bound book that had to be as old as dirt. "A book on exorcisms."

Zuko sighed, holding the large wheel steady. Since Hoshi was the only one who could really read the writing, he had disappeared into the sorceress' room to find the book. The demon made this look too easy. This wheel was hard to keep in one position.

The demon sat on the deck and flipped to the first page. Immediately his eyes widened and he paled considerably which had to be hard since his skin was a dark tan.

"What?" the prince asked.

Hoshi snapped the book shut, blinking in surprise. "It's one of them graphic ones," he moaned. "That was a horrible picture."

After a good hour, the demon was no closer in finding any kind of exorcism that involved the certain hints Sorano had given them then Zuko was to becoming a Waterbender. He sighed loudly and looked like he was about to bang his head on the metal deck. Hoshi handed him the book and rubbed his face. "Just look for a picture that has some of the clues."

The Firebender took the book and nearly fell face first on the deck. This thing had to weigh over thirty pounds! Though it wasn't too heavy for him, it had surprised him a great deal.

Glaring at the demon's grin, he sat on the deck and started flipping through pages. After a few very gruesome pictures that showed what happened if an exorcism went wrong, he closed the book to get his composure back.

"Horrible, ain't it?" Hoshi asked with a small smile.

"Where did she get this book?" The prince stared at it, almost horrified that someone would sell such a thing.

"I think she got that from a pawn shop or other. Maybe a band of pirates," he mused.

Zuko went back to flipping pages, trying to not focus too long on the graphic pictures. He sighed, leaning back slightly as he turned another page.

"This is getting us nowhere," he said after a while.

"And we still have, what? Two thousand pages to go?" Hoshi asked, frowning.

"I actually think you are close on that," Zuko mumbled, wincing at the giant section still left.

"I could use some practice," the demon mumbled, rubbing his face.

"Practice?" Zuko asked, gazing at him.

"I am a pureblood battle demon," Hoshi said with a small smirk. "I need a good brawl every now and then."

Zuko was intrigued. He had not practiced for five days and was becoming restless. Maybe this would help calm him some. "I could practice with you."

The demon smiled widely and nodded. "Nezu!" The demon appeared out of nowhere besides Zuko, giving Hoshi a salute. "Steer the ship for a bit."

Nezu moved fast and took the wheel, holding it easily. Zuko would've frowned but watched as the larger demon took his hat off, placing it safely under the wheel.

Both fighters stood on the lower deck, watching the other. Hoshi bowed as well as Zuko and both took a fighting stance. The Firebender inhaled sharply as the demon moved quickly, a punch nearly striking his face. He backed away with a jump and intended to kick the demon but missed.

Hoshi landed a kick to the prince's side and even if it was a practice match, it still stung. Zuko had to go defensive as the demon never let up. Even if he could throw a kick or a punch, it was hard to find a vulnerable spot on the demon. It changed with every movement. First his stomach would be open but as soon as Zuko noticed that it would be defended and his chest would be open. As soon as Zuko found that weak spot, it would be covered and another one would appear.

The demon was a master. He was honestly outmatched.

Grunting, the Firebender defended himself from the various attacks from the demon. Hoshi had landed several blows to the human, each one threatening to leave a small bruise. Zuko slid out of the way, trying to escape the storm as the demon's fist grazed his cheek. He kicked to distract Hoshi while he moved to find a more offensive approach.

He never expected to actually hit the demon.

Zuko would've froze if his training hadn't been so fine tuned. He backed away, trying to find a weak spot in Hoshi's defenses.

Hoshi's entire demeanor changed in an instant. His eyes unfocused slightly while they turned from bright gold to a dark amber. He shook once over and went rigid. When he looked up, grinning cruelly, Zuko backed away even farther.

Whatever had happened to the demon, it had put him on an instinctive and primal level. And Zuko could admit that it had hit him harder than any of Hoshi's hits.

It terrified him.

* * *

"Hoshi?" Nezu called from the upper deck, looking concerned. The rat demon squeaked in surprise at the demon's look and began screaming for Ookami. He kicked the wheel in and raced down to the hatch, yelling for the wolf demon.

Squeaking, he dashed across the lower deck, attempting to deflect the demon as he charged at Zuko. He was, unfortunately, knocked easily to the side.

Nezu looked up just as Hoshi moved too fast to be seen. He grimaced as the large fist sunk into the Firebender's stomach and sent him flying into the railing. The human was sprawled on the deck, unmoving and Nezu expected the worst. But he heard the gasping breaths of Zuko and prayed Ookami would get his furry butt moving.

However, Hoshi was moving towards the human, the strange primal look still on his face. The human wasn't dead yet. He grinned, his eyes glittering as the powerful feeling washed over him.

Something hit him from the side and he roared, glaring at the tall figure. Ookami snarled, baring his fangs. The wolf demon forgot everything about fighting and tackled the demon. Hoshi did not go down without a fight though and Ookami swore he now had a black eye. The wolf demon felt his back hit the deck and the demon above hit him with enough force to break a human's neck. Snarling, Ookami flipped their positions, grabbing the front of the battle demon's shirt in his hands.

"Snap…outta…it!" he roared, each word punctuating by slamming the demon's head into the deck. "Fight it, Hoshi!"

With a final slam, the demon gasped, his eyes swirling back to the brilliant gold. His body shook all over as he stared around blankly. "What?" he asked hoarsely, gazing around.

His eyes fell on the gasping form of Zuko who had not moved the entire time.

"No," he muttered, his face going pale. Ookami stood and moved over to where Nezu was trying to help the Firebender. His entire body convulsed as he scrambled to his feet and ran.

* * *

Zuko forced himself to wake up. His stomach hurt like he had been charged by a Komodo Rhino. He stared up at the mess area's ceiling and heard sighs of relief beside him. Ookami's face appeared in his vision, the relief painted on him.

"You gave us quite a scare, Zuko," he said. He pulled the Firebender to a sitting position on the couch and sighed again. "Don't ever practice with him if you know what's good for you."

"What happened?" Zuko asked, rubbing his head.

"You challenged a pureblood battle demon is what," the demon cried. "You're outta your mind doing that! He could've killed you with a simple punch!"

"What?" he asked. He supposed the hit to the railing had messed with his head.

Ookami sighed and sat back in one of the many chairs. "Zuko, battle demons _live_ on fights. They take their fights as seriously as they can. The only way to beat a battle demon is to knock them out or kill them and that's is no easy feat. He would've killed you if Nezu and I didn't intervene."

"But why?" he questioned, confused at this development.

"Zuko," Ookami sighed. "As soon as you hit him, he went back to his roots. He became a battle demon through and through once again. He forgot you were human and thought you were a demon. Demons can take his hits, humans can't. That's why demons have taken up the compact to never let battle demons mate with each other. They become vicious in battle and won't stop until the creature is dead."

"Where is he?" Zuko asked, staring around the room.

"After he snapped outta his bloodthrist, he ran off to his room. He doesn't like to kill but he can't help it at times." The wolf demon ran a clawed hand through his hair. "He blames himself for what happened. We can't get him out."

"But I accepted it!" Zuko cried out, almost glaring. "It's as much as my fault as it is his!"

Ookami held up his hand and gave the Firebender a smile. "Go tell him that. He won't listen to me anymore."

* * *

Hesitating, Zuko stood in front of the demon's door. He had no idea what he was doing really. Finally, he knocked, hoping that something else besides being turned away would happen.

"Go 'way."

He had guessed that would happened.

"Hoshi," Zuko said through the door. "I know you blame yourself."

There was a long pause. "I'm sorry. I couldn't control myself."

Zuko sighed. "It is not all your fault. I am arrogant and cocky and thought I could take on a seven hundred year old battle demon."

A strange shuffling sound echoed through the wood and the door opened, revealing a ragged looking Hoshi. He opened the door wider, letting Zuko inside. The human immediately strode inside before the demon changed his mind.

This room was a bit larger than Zuko's though it had some clutter. A pair of ornamental staffs were nailed to the wall next to two broadswords. A large tapestry with a dragon hung on the wall next to a shelf full of books, scrolls, and a couple of daggers. The bed itself looked like it could use new sheets and seemed to be as old as the demon himself.

"Look, Zuko, I know Ookami set you up for this, but it's my fault I got out of control. I shouldn't have agreed to practicing with you. Sorano warned me." Hoshi collapsed on the bed, rubbing his face. "I could've killed you and let her down."

Zuko sighed. "She could not have possibly warned you specifically like this."

"Yes she did. She knows me as well as I know myself. She also knew that you would need to practice sometime. I could hear it in her voice that she didn't want me to fight but I thought I could control myself." He sighed heavily. "I couldn't though and you would've been dead like the other five."

He stared at the demon. Hoshi gazed down at his hands. "I grew up in a circus where I was passed off as a fighter. The first few times I was too inexperienced to do anything but then I kept practicing. I ended up killing the first man when I was a hundred. The people were outraged and, before I knew it, another man was dead at my hands. I ran away then and became a loner."

His face saddened. "I tried to give up being a fighter but it's in my blood. I had to keep fighting. I couldn't stop. I killed another man a few hundred years later. I had just been fighting demons but I couldn't stop then and when I managed to snap out of it I found that there was another one dead.

"I isolated myself to see if that would work. It didn't work though, I nearly went insane doing it. When I came back, I had not fought in years and suddenly I had killed again. I ran off again but after another hundred years, I ran into the priest who banished me."

Hoshi shook for a moment. "I let Sorano down though. The sorceress had managed to keep me from fighting but it made me a lil' insane. The fight with the Fire Nation helped but, about fifteen years ago, I got in a bar fight and killed the man. Sorano managed to keep me safe until we got away but she looked disappointed in me. I could tell. I've managed to keep myself down by sparring with Ookami but he's not much of a challenge."

The demon suddenly stood and Zuko backed away as he snarled. "Why can't I control this?" he yelled, his fist suddenly sinking into the wall. The wall groaned as he continued his abuse of it until Zuko, finally snapping out of his shock, grabbed his fist.

"Stop it! You are acting like a child," he growled. He glared at Hoshi as he let go of his fist. "It is in your blood that you become the demon inside and only by your blood. Your mind is stronger than that, I know. Now stop acting childish and get yourself together."

The demon looked like he would deck Zuko but then sagged in defeat. "Thank you," he mumbled.

"Thank my uncle. I have heard that enough times to remember it by heart," the Firebender said with a small smile.

The demon chuckled and nodded. "I'm going to go take care of the ship."

Zuko let out the small breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. He gave the battle demon a pat on the shoulder and walked out of the room with him.

Maybe this ship was changing him.


	11. Outsider

Thanks for once again reviewing, My Silver Wound!

Sorry for the long wait but the move got me and then a got writer's block when my Internet came back on. Also, school's going to start soon and my summer homework isn't finished (I'm such a procrastinator). This will probably be the last installment until either the weekend or until I get my homework done (I should start, I've only got three days left).

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: If I owned _Avatar_, I would have much money and I would put to work my own stories. In other words, I own the OCs. That's it.

* * *

**Chapter 9 – _Adabito_**

Zuko had really wanted to fall asleep as soon as the sun set but felt too uneasy to do so. The witch still wasn't back and the only reason why he was worried was because the ship might sink without her. Well, that's what he kept telling himself.

Ookami was sitting on deck, twirling a strange dagger in his clawed hands. The designs were foreign to the Firebender and he found them interesting. The wolf demon suddenly threw the knife and it embedded cleanly into the mast.

"Nice," Zuko said, watching the demon smirk.

He beckoned at the dagger and Zuko stared in amazement as it flew into the demon's hand again.

"How?" he sputtered, glancing from Ookami to the dagger in his hand.

"Demons have their special abilities like humans. Yours is Firebending. Mine is my connection to daggers and knives. I control them with my power," he explained, smirking slightly. He aimed again and threw it, hitting the same spot again.

Zuko was about to say something but the sound of flapping stopped him. They looked up to see a dark shape moving towards them in the air. It descended slightly, pulling up right above the deck. Sorano controlled the wings, landing like a bird and sagging in exhaustion.

The two raced down to the lower deck, Zuko standing back as the wolf demon helped her remove the flying contraption. He could hear her panting as she pushed the thing off and let it fall to the deck with a small thud.

"Didn't find anything," she mumbled, leaning against the wolf. "Searched everything in a five mile radius."

"It's all right," he grunted as she literally fell on him.

Sorano nodded and then looked up at the demon. "What happened to your face?"

Ookami blinked and rubbed the back of his head. Hoshi's hits had blackened his eye and made the left side of his face swell up as well as leave a few blue bruises. "Uh," he mumbled, trying to find something good to tell her.

"Hoshi hit you?" she asked, watching the demon's face. "He did." She pushed back, standing on her feet and gazing at Zuko now. "You challenged him, didn't you?"

All the Firebender could do was nod.

"Everyone's a moron," she mumbled, throwing her hands in the air and staggering over to the human. "Are you goin' to do it again?"

He shook his head quickly, not knowing what she could or would do.

"Good. Then no harm done!" she chirped.

She had to be insane at the moment. Or too tired to think clearly. He blinked in surprise and just stared at her. Sorano grinned and began to make her way to the hatch. Zuko glanced at Ookami who had his hand up, his fingers splayed and counting down. As soon as soon as the last one fell, he heard a loud thud and crashing.

"Goddammit!"

The loud curse was followed by a very long stream of yells on how the stairs had it out for her and why this had to happen to her. Zuko would've laughed out loud had he not feared what she would and could do now.

"Go to bed!" the wolf growled loudly. They heard something scurry away as she took off. "Every time, she falls down those steps and wonders why she always falls down them," he grumbled, shaking his head. "Sometimes I wonder if she's right in the head."

"I did not think she was ever right in the head," he said with a smirk.

Ookami chuckled. "I'm turning in. My watch is off." He turned, his tail swishing as he disappeared down the hatch. Zuko watched him and turned to the strange item behind him. He gazed at it, finding that if he hadn't seen her take off in it he would have no idea what it would be used for. In a way, it looked like a poorly designed bird kite. The Firebender wondered if the contraption was magicked or if Sorano was the one powering it but decided not to pursue the question any further. He made his way to the hatch, glancing at it once again, finding it seemed a little more friendly now, no matter how weird that sounded.

He disappeared down the hatch, not thinking about that strange thought anymore.

* * *

For the first night in five days, Zuko was not disturbed in his sleep in the middle of the night. He rolled over in bed as the sun began to bother him and frowned. Grunting, he threw the blanket off and stretched, glaring at the sun. He dragged on his boots and made his way for the mess hall.

Nezu was nibbling on a block of cheese when the Firebender grabbed his plate. The rat demon smiled at him and went back to gnawing. Zuko quickly ate the strange sandwich and found it strangely filling. Giving Nezu a nod, he jogged up the stairs and was glad to see Hoshi on deck, Ookami with him as the wolf poured over the thick book.

"I hate magic," the demon growled, his tail flicking angrily. He turned another page and stared wide-eyed at it. The wolf demon let out something that sounded like a curse under his breath and almost ripped the page trying to turn it.

"No luck then, I am guessing," Zuko mumbled, sitting next to the large demon on the stairs.

"Not a frickin' clue," he growled, rubbing his face.

"We've been at it since dawn too," Hoshi grumbled. The battle demon turned the wheel slightly to the right. "We're also gettin' closer to your uncle it looks like. The spell got a lil' bigger."

If Zuko hadn't been the Fire Lord's son and raised like a prince should be, he would've jumped for joy. But he settled for smiling slightly and nodding to the demon.

Ookami grumbled something but stopped, his body going rigid. The two ears shot up, pointed forward. He gave the air a tentative sniff before letting out a loud howl.

"Gods!" Hoshi cried out, jumping at the sudden change of mood. "What the hell is it, Ookami?"

Sorano was suddenly on deck, her body sliding through the sails to perch at the top of the mast. She gazed off into the distance, grey eyes searching. The sorceress seemed to find what she was looking for and turned to look at Hoshi. "It seems we've got someone stranded! Turn the ship and head northwest towards the smoke!"

Although the demon looked confused, he obeyed nonetheless. Hoshi gave the witch a strange look and waited a few moments before expressing his concern. "Sorano, who exactly is it we're saving?"

"Don't know!" she chirped, her go-lucky attitude returning. "We'll find out soon though!"

Hoshi looked like he was going to rest his head in his hands but resisted and let out a small sigh.

Soon enough, a small trail of smoke was seen, proving neither Ookami nor Sorano were wrong. Hoshi carefully steered towards it, being very mindful that they had entered a chain of islands and hidden sand bars could pop up at any time.

Sorano ordered the engines to be cut and the weight fell overboard again. Zuko could only guess that it was some sort of enchantment of hers. She seemed to contemplate what to do at first before turning to Ookami. "This is as close as we get."

The wolf demon seemed to understand and stood, the book tucked safely away under the wheel. He disappeared down the hatch with Sorano at his heels. She gave Zuko an inviting look and he followed, jogging down the stairs.

Frowning, she kicked a wall in the kitchen hallway. It fell away, revealing another staircase. Ookami went down first with the two behind him. Zuko gazed around the dimly lit area and then focused on the strange interior of the boat. He could hear the splashing of the waves and the low hum of the resting engine.

A small boat was tied to a piece of metal. It was big enough to fit at least six people or four large demons and was also a patchwork vessel. A small opening in the side of the ship let the water in to keep the boat afloat and let it out easily and secretly.

The three odd characters settled in and Sorano gave the boat a kick to get it going. It sputtered a couple of times and then began moving on its own accord. Zuko sat back, watching the witch concentrate as she piloted the strange boat. He then noticed the fact that she had what looked like a knife in her belt. Ookami also had brought weapons, ranging from a small, black hilted knife to an ornate dagger that looked to be about two feet long. They were prepared, he had to say. For what was the question.

With the sorceress, it didn't take long to reach the island. She guided it up to the sand, using her energy to drag it on the beach.

Zuko had seen so many islands that they all looked the same. Sand, water, trees, and grass. And maybe a few rocks. That's what they all looked like.

Sorano had an even gaze and then focused on the treeline. She laid her hand on the knife, ready to draw it just incase. Ookami had the hilt of his small knife as well, watching the same spot.

Something stumbled out, growling softly. Zuko let his palms heat up, feeding the flames and forming them into his own blades. The creature staggered to where the three stood at the ready and then stared at them with wide, gold eyes. He looked like a deformed demon, with huge claws, a wide mouth, and spines growing out of his back. There didn't appear to be any ears and he seemed very lizard-like.

"Who?" he began, his gaze landing on all three of them. When it hit Zuko, he stiffened slightly and then growled louder.

"You attack him, we'll leave you here," the witch warned with a tone the Firebender had never heard. "We should be the ones asking you questions anyways."

Ookami's hand never left his blade. Apparently, the witch was very cautious about this creature.

The gold eyes flickered and he nodded, stepping back slightly. He tried to straighten his hunched back but stopped with a groan.

"Who are you and why are you stranded on this island?" she began, measuring the demon with a cold gaze.

"Hebi and my own crew abandoned me here, the bastards," he hissed out, his eyes searching for something.

"I wonder why," the wolf grumbled sarcastically and Sorano hushed him.

"How long have you been here?" she asked, staring at him with a strange gaze.

"A few years really," the demon hissed, his gaze landing on the sorceress. His gold eyes widened and he gave her a grin that had Zuko wincing.

Sorano seemed to read the creature although her face never wavered even as the putrid smell hit the Firebender's nose. The wolf demon had been breathing through his mouth the entire time and now he knew why.

"We can take you to the nearest port," the witch started.

"Please," Ookami butted in.

"But from there, you're on your own. Got it?" she finished, giving the wolf demon a playful glare.

The demon nodded and leapt, hugging the witch while he thanked her. She looked like she was going to pass out and fought him off. "Please don't do that."

He nodded and then followed the three back to the boat. Zuko was wondering what she was doing. There was a bad vibe coming from the beast. He couldn't explain it but he didn't like the way the demon was watching them.

* * *

A silent conversation passed between the human and demon.

Ookami gave her a strange look. _'What the hell are you doing, Sorano? This guy is anything but nice!'_

The witch gazed at him, her eyes speaking for her. _'I know.'_

'_Then why are you doing this?'_ he practically glared.

She faced the boat, a frown evident. _'I don't know that part. Something wants me to do this.'_ She then looked over at him, and he read the fear in her. _'I don't know if it's the demon in me or if it's the demon behind us. But I can't fight it, whatever wants me to do this.'_

Ookami glared, making sure neither Zuko nor Hebi could see it. _'Then leave him. Hell, I'll throw him out of the boat myself.'_

She shook her head. Ookami grunted and sat back as the boat slid through the water.

'_I want to do this. It could turn out okay, right?'_

He gave an expressive look, showing his concern. _'I swear, if he does anything, I'll kill him myself.'_

'_Leave it to me, Wolfie. Trust me, okay?' _


	12. Ambush

Thank you My Silver Wound and Yuuki Okami for reviewing! Thanks for catching that mistake as well, Yuuki Okami. I'm not very knowledgeable with daggers. And yes, they know each other well enough to speak with looks and expressions.

Basically, I'm screwing my homework over as this is a lot more fun. Also, I'm taking a break from it though I should get going…ah well.

Disclaimer: You know what. Just look at the last eleven chapters for one. I'm tired of typing them all the time.

* * *

**Chapter 10 – _Fukuzei_**

It had been one day and Zuko still didn't trust the strange newcomer.

It wasn't the demon's appearance that set him off. It was the strange feeling Zuko got whenever he was near. Hoshi and Nezu had also gotten the same feeling and voiced concerns, when the demon was away and out of earshot, with Sorano.

Who waved them off.

"It's okay, guys. Trust me."

The demons fell silent when she said that. Something about it had the demons nodding and treating the new demon with politeness, even if it was forced. They still didn't trust the strange creature.

Sorano had explained to the Firebender one time that the human brain controlled certain aspects of a personality. One side of the brain dealt with what was often referred to as the sixth sense. Demons had larger brains and so their sixth sense was stronger in a sense. The entire explanation had only confused Zuko worse but now, watching these three as they watched the newcomer, he understood it. The bad vibe he was getting from the demon had to be a flea to what the crew was getting.

He watched though as Hoshi did his job of steering while Nezu flipped through the pages of the book, looking very pale. The battle demon looked down towards the compass and blinked in surprise. He grinned widely and then laughed. "Zuko!"

The loud cry startled the two and the battle demon suddenly grabbed the Firebender's arm. He dragged the human to his feet and, still laughing, hugged him. Zuko swore he heard something crack. "We found him! Zuko, we found him!"

"Let him go! You're gonna crush him!" Ookami called out and Zuko was very thankful for that.

While the Firebender caught his breath again and rubbed his sore ribs, Sorano examined her now pulsing spell, smiling. "Keep heading towards the port. I'm sure your uncle has been waiting for you there."

Zuko relaxed, seeing the island now. He was almost to the ship that had been his home for two years.

While this small celebration was going on, Sorano could feel the strange electricity in the air. It scared her but she didn't show it. This was supposed to be happy. Besides, they could get rid of the demon as well. And then their lives would get on like they used to.

She hoped.

Sorano called out commands from the bow as Hoshi steered the ship carefully around the other boats. Zuko was searching for his uncle's ship and it should be easy seeing as no other Fire Navy ships were here.

He frowned, not finding the small warship. The Firebender was beginning to wonder if her spell had worked.

"That it?"

Zuko looked up, and his heart warmed immediately. His uncle's ship was docked a hundred feet away and the old man himself was on deck, watching the ship. He smiled and, despite his upbringing, waving to his uncle.

"Right by thirteen degrees, let's dock for the night, Hoshi."

"Aye, Sorano," the demon called out.

The ship cooperated and the docking was easy. They had pulled up right besides the steel ship, hidden by the larger ship. Zuko moved restlessly around as Nezu scaled up the mast, furling the sails while Hoshi cut the engine and Ookami tied the ship securely to the dock.

"Well hello!"

The sound of his uncle's voice made him smile slightly. He had missed his uncle's amusing behavior. Though, with a crew like this, they had acted enough like his uncle to keep him company.

"General Iroh!" the witch called out, surprised herself at this revelation. "What a surprise! I do believe that this belongs to you though," she said, jerking her thumb at the Firebender. Zuko glared at her but dismissed it as his uncle chuckled.

"I'm retired now, Sorano. But yes, he does look a little familiar," he mused, rubbing his chin. He grinned as Zuko frowned and glared at him.

The witch laughed and tapped the floorboards a few times. A ramp suddenly erupted from the floor and rested against the larger ship. Iroh quickly stepped down and, before Zuko could react, hugged his nephew. His ribs still ached from Hoshi's hug but he didn't stop the old man.

"Prince Zuko, you do not know how much I have missed you," he said, smiling widely.

"I'll pay you to take him," the witch joked, earning a glare from the teen.

"Miss Sorano, you have not changed one bit since I last saw you," Iroh said, smiling again.

"And you're still the same confusing man I've never figured out," she teased, laughing with the Firebender.

"Ah, what has it been? Five years?" the retired general asked, smiling still.

"I believe so, Iroh," Sorano confirmed, smiling.

"Hoshi!" the old man said, shaking hands with the demon. "And Ookami!" Iroh seemed to be having a time remembering these demons. Something Zuko needed to know.

"Uncle, you've met them?" he asked, watching in amazement as he nodded.

"Yes! Oh, it was a terrible year that one. I had been at sea for so long and my men were all sick. We pulled up right along side her in a port and she gave us assistance if we did not capture her, of course. She is wonderful at potions," he explained, grinning widely.

"Iroh, come on," the witch said modestly, smiling at the old man.

There was a strange hissing sound and the witch turned to give an even gaze at the demon. "We're at port. You may leave." Her tone suggested that he had no other option but to leave. He bowed and slunk off, exiting the boat.

The demon smirked to himself. His job was almost done.

* * *

The group stayed up until almost midnight talking, several stories being about Zuko's journey on the ship. Most of them were embarrassing as well.

Sorano lied in bed, her mind still working. She hated nights like these. It would take her hours to go to sleep and even then, she woke up at dawn, leaving her strangely drained. Sighing, she rolled on her stomach and tried to get comfortable.

She could hear Hoshi's snoring through the walls which reminded her to get the silencer charm working again. Hell, she could do it right now. She'd never sleep with the battle demon making that big of a racket.

Grunting, she forced herself out of bed and stretched. Sorano began gathering a few ingredients and her chalk.

There was something moving upstairs.

She frowned, walking to the wall. The witch laid her hand on the wall, using her powers to search the ship. A gasp left her and she withdrew her hand, backing off.

"Oh no," she mumbled, backing off.

Sorano ran out of her room, knocking down Hoshi's door. The demon sat up with a start, looking sleepily at her. She grabbed him, not saying a word and shoved him into her room. Immediately, Ookami poked his head out of his room to see what was happening but ended up sprawled on the floor by the other demon. Nezu joined them in a split second, shaking his head from the suddenness of this.

"What?" the wolf asked but the door shut and locked.

"Sorano?" Hoshi called out, trying to rip the door off its hinges. "Let us out!" Ookami grabbed the demon's shoulder and he was surprised at how pale the wolf was. "What is it?"

"Firebenders."

* * *

Zuko started awake around three in the morning. It never ceased to amaze him how, even on his own ship, the witch managed to wake him up in the middle of the night. He tugged on a shirt and raced out of his room, heading for the hatch. The Firebender made it out to find most of his crew on deck as well as his uncle. "What is going on?" he demanded.

"Nothing for you to be concerned about, Prince Zuko. It is in my hands."

He glared at the admiral and stalked up to him, wishing he could wipe that smirk off his ugly face. "It is my concern, Admiral. Whatever you are doing could put my crew into danger." It took all of his willpower to speak evenly and calmly.

"We caught her! We caught the witch!"

Zuko's blood ran cold. He turned, staring at the witch's ship. He hadn't noticed either because of how dark it was or his sleep fogged mind that her ship was swarming with Firebenders. About six guards exited the hatch, something between them. Zuko stared as two guards held her up, both grinning widely at their capture.

"Excellent!" Zhao called out, grinning. "Now go for the demons."

"What is the meaning of this?" Zuko roared, glaring at Zhao.

"She is a traitor and will be tried as such, Prince Zuko. Though it will not be in the same light as yours," he said, smirking. "Bring her up here!" he ordered the men.

The six guards basically dragged her up the ramp, dropping her in front of Admiral Zhao. She forced herself to her knees and fell backwards, sitting on the cold steel. If she had looked ragged before, it was nothing compared to now.

Lines were etched on her face, making her look several years older. Dark shadows were under her eyes which were dark with exhaustion. She had the strangest grins on her face and it looked like she had no idea what was going on at the moment. A few cuts and minor burns adorned her arms and face while several bruises were making themselves known.

Then he noticed the wards. He hadn't realized that the strips of paper with the strange ancient writing were still being used today for anything. And these had to be strong to block her powers. The back of her hands were burned from the wards as well as her neck. Two more wrapped around her ankles, keeping her powers at bay.

Zuko gritted his teeth as his temper flared. "No one gave you orders for this!" he hissed, watching the sorceress as she gazed at him with a funny look.

"Ah, but I have orders from the Fire Lord to capture any and all traitors." The smirk returned as he pinned Zuko with a wicked gaze. "You are very lucky that you yourself are not arrested."

Smoke billowed down when he snorted, trying to keep his anger under control. "How did you know she was here?" He was careful with his words.

"Oh, that was easy. Hebi is a very loyal servant of mine."

The Firebender wanted to rip that smirk off, nearly lunging at the pompous bastard. Iroh stopped him, holding him back. "Prince Zuko, please calm down."

"Yeah, Zuko. Your temper's flaring!"

He gazed at the witch, watching her eyes focus for a moment. Zuko wanted to wring the admiral's neck.

"You seen Zhao?" she continued. Zuko had to assume something had been knocked out of place in her head. "I want to kick his fat ass myself."

"Oh really," he said, his smirk growing wider.

"Yeah," Sorano said, grinning like a fool. "I call Agni Kai!"

Zhao's eyebrows rose at this and he laughed. "Well now, it seems she's called a Firebender's duel."

"Yeah!" she called. Her entire manner spoke that she had no idea what she was talking about. Sorano's eyes, however, were focused completely. "If I win, we go free!" she chirped.

Laughing, the admiral grinned at this luck. "And if I win, you and your crew come quietly."

"Deal!" She grinned widely. "Agni Kai at dusk. And I get to stay here until then!"

His eye twitched and he opened his mouth to protest but Iroh stepped in.

"Admiral Zhao, in order for Miss Sorano to be well prepared for the Agni Kai, she needs to rest and your ship is not the place to rest." Iroh smirked at his own logic, even as Zhao frowned deeply.

Even if he could hold her captive until the Agni Kai, he would most likely be fought by the retired general himself. And that was a fight even Zhao knew he couldn't win. Admiral Zhao snorted and turned to the witch. "Agni Kai at dusk. My men will escort you to where it will be held. If you run, we will make sure you are hunted down."

She nodded, still grinning. "Besides, your men won't get my crew. That spell's invincible right now."

The Firebender scowled and suddenly hit her, the armor on his forearm striking her temple. Her eyes rolled back as her body fell in a slump. Zhao snorted and marched off the ship, grinning as the nameless soldiers escorted three demons into his sight. "Oh, and make sure to tell the witch that her crew is mine until she wins."

Zuko let a ball of fire hit the spot besides the Firebender, fuming at this. He knew he couldn't release them even if he tried and gave the three demons a look that said to trust him.

Surprisingly, the demons gave him a nod, showing just how much they had come to accept him. The three went quietly, a hope in their minds.

One Zuko wasn't sure if he could fulfill.

* * *

Sorano let the medic tend to the large bruise on her face as she sat on the infirmary bed. She would've just drunk a potion but it appeared that several of her pre-made ones had been smashed. From her demons or the soldiers though, she wasn't sure. Besides, she didn't think she could walk up the many flights of stairs without falling flat on her face several times.

She looked up when Zuko walked in, looking tired as he gazed at her. The witch smiled slightly and yawned.

"What were you thinking?" he asked, resisting the urge to hit her upside the head.

"Easy," she mumbled, her eyes half-lidded. "Zhao's a cocky bastard. He won't know what hit him."

"But you don't even know Firebending!" he exclaimed, glaring as she chuckled.

"I'm a witch. You don't think I can't fake Firebending?"

It hadn't occurred to him that her plan was that. It was true. Zhao wasn't that bright when it came to witches it looked like. Though there was a stitch in her plan. "The wards?"

She looked at her hands, wincing at the white strips of paper. Sorano suddenly smiled and looked up at him. "Just burn them off." The witch held her hand out, wincing as the ward stung her.

He blinked in surprise but laid his palm over the ward, sending a blast of fire to the strip of magic paper. She winced at the heat but grinned when the ward burst into flames and disintegrated. Zuko took her other hand and did the same, making sure to control the flames from burning her. His hand moved to the ward around her neck, hesitating slightly.

Zuko could easily kill her from this point yet she trusted him to do this. He made sure to keep the flames under his absolute control as the paper started to burn. Frowning, Zuko let his hand fall as the ward crumbled into a pile of ashes.

The witch rubbed her neck, easing the skin that had been burned by the ward. She watched as the Firebender knelt to take care of the ones on her ankles. Sorano had to wonder if all Fire Navy personnel were this cautious. The two on her hands had been enough.

With the wards now a pile of ash, she let out a sigh and tucked her legs under her on the bed. "I really hate wards." Smiling, Sorano gazed around the room and noticed the medic was no where to be seen. She had to be really tired to not notice his leave. "By the way, how does an Agni Kai work?"

Zuko's head fell into his hand. This wasn't turning out to be a good day after all.


	13. Firebender Duel

Thank you My Silver Wound for reviewing!

Sorry for the delay. School's got me working…and I just got a DS so I'm having fun. This chapter's got action scenes, one reason why it's longer than usual.

Disclaimer: Don't own it. Look at Chapter 1 for more information.

* * *

**Chapter 11 – _Agni Kai_**

Sorano slept the entire day away in her quarters. Zuko waved it off as her recovering enough energy to fight even if he really didn't think she could win. If push came to shove, he would challenge the admiral for their freedom. He just kept telling himself that it was because he owed some sort of debt to her.

True to his word, he woke her two hours before dusk to get ready.

Which involved him flipping her mattress over, knocking her to the floor, and her cursing him out.

She moved around her trashed workroom, collecting several ingredients and mixing them together in a bowl before eating it. Her face screwed up in disgust as she did, coughing up a storm. He was about to ask what it was when his uncle walked in, smiling widely.

"You will need to dress properly for the duel, Miss Sorano," he said, handing her a pile of clothes.

"Wait, are those my pants?" Zuko sputtered, managing to glance at the pile. "And why do you have a female Agni Kai shirt?

"Well, yours were the only ones that looked like they would fit," his uncle replied, smirking and conveniently forgetting his other question. Zuko frowned and shook his head, exiting the room with his uncle behind him.

Fifteen minutes later, Zuko let out an impatient growl. "What is taking you so long?"

"Just a minute already!" she called through the door.

"Why do you have a female Agni Kai shirt anyways?" he asked his uncle again.

"I found it."

That was probably the best answer he was going to get and let the matter drop.

The door opened and Zuko turned to give her a glare but ended up staring at her. The pants fit; he was sure of that but the black sleeveless shirt looked a little small. Well, maybe too small.

He understood why it had taken her so long now. The shirt was skin tight and left a good three inches of skin revealed. She looked uncomfortable, hell, she had to be uncomfortable in it.

"Hm, a little small, don't you agree, Prince Zuko?" Iroh mused.

She glared at them both and folded her arms across her chest, more to keep the teen from staring than to show her frustration. "I really wish I was a guy now," she muttered. "I don't even have the right ingredients to stretch this out."

Iroh chuckled and nodded. "I understand but still, I do not believe you will fight without the shirt."

Zuko's face immediately went scarlet at that comment and he turned away, biting his lip to keep himself from saying anything stupid.

A soldier suddenly appeared, announcing that Zhao's escort had arrived.

"It's now or never," she mumbled, following the two Firebenders.

* * *

She sighed softly, kneeling down in the dirt. Damn, she had really done it now. Iroh and Zuko stood in front of her, the old man giving her tips and Zuko looking away to where Zhao knelt. He gazed down at her, telling her good luck before he backed away.

The witch took in a deep breath and let it out as the gong sounded. She stood, the strange cloth slipping from her shoulders as she stood and faced the admiral. He gave her a cocky smirk and she snorted, feeling the heat coursing through her.

'_Now or never.'_

Sorano moved out of the way as he threw a stream of fire at her. Her response was a punch, letting out a breath and making it look like she was Firebending. Her fire, though, was coming from her breath as the mixture she had eaten had been a special concoction of Dragon's Oak flowers and several combustible materials. By holding her arm level with her mouth, the sorceress produced an impressive fraud. The only problem was she couldn't kick unless she managed by some miracle to bend and flex in a strange position.

Zhao blocked, his foot sliding across the ground and sending a wall of fire at her. The sorceress however jumped up and flipped, propelling herself over the wall and right into Zhao's space. He leapt backwards, once again blocking a blast of fire.

Grunting, she swung her arm and breathed the fire out, making the flames arch and speed towards their target. He effortlessly blocked and started to go offensive, forcing her back. She had a big disadvantage here. Zhao was used to fighting and had years of practice on her. His stances were fluid, forming an exotic dance.

Her stances and techniques, however, looked like a fish flopping on land. Sloppy with a sense of desperation in it.

He frowned, shoving her into a defensive stance as he relentlessly attacked her. Most females started off with kicks as the legs were the most powerful area of women. Zhao shrugged it off as he stepped close enough to knock her down. His hand shot out, hitting her right below her collarbone. As her body registered the hit, he kicked her legs out from under her and let her fall.

Gritting her teeth, she hit the ground and had to immediately move out of the way to escape the ball of fire aimed at her head. She had been forced into a corner though and the only way out was to either go above or under him. Sorano knew he was expecting her to go over as was indicated by his smug look. Smirking, she dove for the ground as he punched at her and rolled between his spread legs. She jumped to her feet and went to just kick him square in the back when he dodged to the side.

Admiral Zhao frowned as she tricked him. She was going to pay, one way or the other. He made to corner her again but missed his chance as she retreated back to the center. Growling, he let fire blasts follow her and growled louder when she evaded them as well.

She could only see one way out of this and even that was going to be an iffy move. He moved in though and she once again found herself on her back with him over her. Ah well.

He had her pinned now. Zhao was going to finish her when she suddenly shifted and he moved to block her escape.

And found something wrapped around his waist. Surprised, he found himself trapped with her legs holding him still. She suddenly rolled backward, using the momentum of the move to throw him over her.

His face met the ground with a wonderful thud and she stood, immediately moving to where he lied on the ground, a fist aimed at his head.

A silent recognition passed between them and she let herself relax. She smirked at him and turned around, believing that she had won.

"Sorano!"

The witch blinked in surprise and barely felt the heat behind her. Something slammed hard into her back, making her scream and jump, trying to put out the fire that had assaulted her. Waves of pain washed over her as she managed to beat out the fire and glare at Zhao. Cheating bastard.

He started with an offensive attack that made her dizzy. She managed to dodge the stream of fire but the pain in her back was making it hard to concentrate. Her vision was also blurry and she suddenly lost all sight in her right eye. She swore under her breath, blinking and trying to regain her sight.

It would be a miracle now if she could win.

* * *

"A cheap shot!" Iroh called out, glaring at the admiral. He shook his fist and started to yell encouragements to the witch who couldn't do anything but dodge at this point.

The three demons had been allowed to view the match and were giving her their own praises and advice. Hoshi was yelling up a storm at Zhao that had Zuko raising his eyebrows. He himself was trying very hard to not "accidentally" let out a ball of fire to distract the pompous bastard to help her out.

She was on the ground again, whimpering. Sorano had landed on her back and Zuko was glad she couldn't see it for herself. The burn, a huge bright red stain on her back, had spread to cover her shoulder blades and down her spine, stopping at the belt. It had to be painful for her to move her arms at all. He was surprised the shirt was still on her as the entire back had been turned into ashes.

Zuko smiled at her next move though as she caught Zhao across his ugly face with her foot, throwing him off balance. She jumped to her feet and suddenly swung her fist, decking him in the face with fire licking at his flesh.

Off balance, Zhao was defenseless. The prince cheered silently as she hit him hard in the stomach, using a blast of fire to knock him down. Once again, she stood over him, fist out to use a finishing blow.

"I've won," she said, loud enough for the entire area to hear. "If you even attack me unfairly again, I will not pause to kill you."

It was either the malice in her voice or the look she was giving him with her one good eye that had the admiral nodding. She backed off, this time, her eye never leaving his form as he frowned, spitting at her feet.

"Release the prisoners," he commanded.

The two stared each other down before she turned and walked towards where Zuko and Iroh were waiting, both looking extremely relieved. The demons immediately ran out as soon as they were free, being mindful of the large burn adorning her back as they hugged her. She leaned on Ookami as her body began to feel the pain again.

Before any of them could say a word, soldiers approached the wolf demon, stopping him.

"What is it? We've been released!" the demon growled, eyeing the guards.

"You've been released for being traitors but, as new information has just recently come into my hands, you belong with us." Zhao smirked as the demon roared, his ears pinned to his skull. "You still have to serve the rest of your term with us, demon."

Ookami snarled and bared his fangs, looking ready to tear them apart. Hoshi took a stance while Nezu squeaked and disappeared. He wasn't a fighter.

"You know what Zhao?" Sorano said, her face dangerously neutral. "I don't give a damn anymore." She looked tired and pissed off suddenly as she stepped towards the admiral. "I am the captain of my crew and anything that concerns them, concerns me. And being the captain that I am, I am trading myself for Ookami's freedom."

Zhao's eyebrows rose as his smirk grew wider.

"What! You can't be serious Sorano!" Ookami cried out, trying to grab her arm and shake some sense into her. "You can't! You can't!"

All intelligent speech had left the wolf demon and neither Hoshi nor Nezu were saying anything.

"Admiral Zhao, Ookami has been out of the Fire Army for thirty years! He can't still owe service after what happened to him during the Squadron D-1," Iroh argued, watching as the witch turned to give him a smile.

"He has betrayed his nation and, to redeem himself, he must serve the Fire Lord for another ten years." Zhao watched the scene as the demons growled and the prince looked ready to kill him. But Sorano looked like she was in the middle of a boring conversation. He frowned and gazed at the wolf demon.

"Ookami, really, it's okay," she mumbled, reaching up and petting him behind his ears. "Trust me?"

Golden eyes widened and he looked vulnerable as she bowed to him. He opened his mouth to protest once again but she waved him off.

"Quiet, Wolfie. As your captain, I command you to shut your mouth and get your furry ass out of here. Go somewhere nice. You won't have me to give orders anymore." The witch smiled up at him and gave his ear a tug. "Go where you think Takara is. My time is up it seems."

He let out a strange sound and grabbed her, hugging the sorceress hard. Ookami whispered gently before letting her go. Hoshi grabbed her then, giving her a hug as well. Nezu whimpered and brushed against her, hugging her around the middle. She patted his head and then faced her crew. "Don't wait up."

Zuko stepped forward, still numb from what was going on. She couldn't have been thinking clearly. He kept reasoning himself with that. No one, not even her, could sacrifice themselves for one person, demon or otherwise. She never did anything without a plan and he worried on what her plan was now.

She went quietly, letting them place the wards on her and painfully tie her hands behind her back. Sorano gave them one last look with the small smile and shrugged, wincing slightly.

Ookami howled loudly, sending shivers up the humans' spines.

A wolf howl was bad luck.

* * *

Zuko stood at the railing of the ship, staring off into the ocean. It was there that he had met the witch and where she seemed to be the most comfortable. He had lost the strange woman on land.

Along with his Agni Kai pants.

Damn.

He was still puzzling her decision when he felt someone come up behind him. Zuko turned and found the three demons, looking slightly lost. Nezu looked to have been crying but he tried to put up a strong front.

"Zuko," the battle demon began, looking at the two behind him. "We want to thank you."

"For what?" he asked, his brow furrowing in confusion.

"For what we know you're gonna do before the next day," Ookami replied, his eyes a dark gold.

Nezu suddenly handed the teen what looked like a cloak and a jar of cream colored substance. He nodded to the Firebender, giving him a forced toothy smile.

As Zuko picked up the items, the three demons bowed and retreated to their own ship. In about two minute's time, he watched the ship sail off and felt a pang go through him. For some reason, he felt torn between staying with the last member of his family who cared for him and the three misfits.

He then noticed the piece of paper attached to the jar and picked it up idly.

'_Zuko – _

_Be careful. Keep your distance until you feel completely safe. I'm not sure if she's in her right mind state at the moment._

_Crew of Misfits'_

The prince bit his lip as he read the note again. She did have a plan. And from reading this note, he had a slight idea on what it was. He had figured her exhaustion was a trigger for the demon dwelling inside of her.

And he smirked with the knowledge that he knew something Zhao didn't.


	14. Savior

Thank you My Silver Wound for reviewing! I'm glad that you liked the Agni Kai scene as well.

Sorry for not updating in about two weeks but school and Chem…not a great combo.

This chapter originally starred the Avatar and Friends but it didn't really fit in the plotline so I took them out. Don't worry, they'll be appearing soon.

Disclaimer: See the first 11 chapters if you're so picky about it.

* * *

**Chapter 12 – _Kyuusaisha_**

The sun had set a good three hours ago but Zuko still stared off into the ocean, almost hoping he'd see the familiar ship sail back with the witch pulling her wild stunts again. The darkness did nothing to lift his mood. He frowned and rubbed his face, wondering what the hell he should do.

"Prince Zuko? It is almost midnight," his uncle said, stepping up to the confused teenager. "Is something wrong?"

He said nothing for a long moment, staring through his fingers at the deck. "Yes," he finally admitted.

"Is it about Miss Sorano?" Iroh asked, settling in for a long talk.

"Yes," he admitted again.

His uncle chuckled, which made the young Firebender glare at him. "Zuko," he began, smiling. "I do believe the change in environment has helped you."

Zuko was listening more than ever. Uncle Iroh _never_ called him just Zuko unless he had something important to say. And, of course, he had to be as cryptic as ever. "What do you mean?"

"You are starting to care about something other than yourself or the Avatar," he explained. "Miss Sorano's selfless deeds have confused you, have they not?" He waited for his nephew's nod to continue. "She believes in forgiveness and that her life is not as important as her crew's. She is indeed wrong but she won't listen to any of them on that matter. Her life is as important as theirs."

"But why?" he asked, throwing his hands down as fire flew from them. "I know her plan but why get captured? Why not bust Ookami out instead?"

"Zuko, Sorano is…confusing to say the least. But I believe it is more of a safety matter than anything," Iroh said, placing a hand on Zuko's shoulder. "Tell me when you decide on what to do. Remember Zuko, you still have people who care about your own safety."

The old man left, leaving the prince to stand at the railing and stare out into the night sky. He should do it. The demons had put it in his responsibility. Sighing, he put his head in his hands again.

Someone up there really hated him.

* * *

She sat, legs crossed with her fingers interlocked, elbows resting on her thighs. Her breathing was calm and slow, her mind clearer than it had been in hours. It had to be nearing midnight and she was wondering when the damn demon would kick its butt into gear and get them out of this cell. The wards were hurting again, flashing with pain. She ignored them and continued mediating, controlling herself.

Footsteps echoed but she didn't move. Her eyes remained closed even as the monkey-faced admiral stepped up to the bars of her cell. She ignored him for as long as humanly possible.

"Hello, witch," he sneered.

Sorano remained motionless.

The tic appeared again and he fired a ball of flames at her. She rolled out of the way and glared at him, hissing at the pain in her back. He smirked and unlocked the door, shutting it behind himself and the strange demon.

"Can't handle me yourself, Zhao? Got to bring a low-leveled demon in with you?" she spat, sitting back as he frowned and snorted.

"Oh no, it's nothing like that, witch," Zhao said, smirking again. "I'm surprised you haven't figured out what Hebi's power is."

Her brow furrowed and she stared at the creepy demon as he stared back. Something brushed her thoughts and she jerked away, shaking her head furiously. "A manipulator."

"That's not all, witch. Hebi has a wonderful talent of breaking into someone's mind and turning their fears against them. Because of your gift, he could not do anything to you on the ship." The admiral grinned as she glared.

"But the wards block my powers," she finished in disgust, growling low.

"Exactly," he confirmed, smirking. "However, I will not resort to using him if you are good and tell me where your crew is headed."

She burst out laughing.

He reacted fast, grabbing her by her throat and slamming her into the wall. Her laugh turned into a howl as she struggled to ease the pressure off her back. She could actually feel the blisters that had appeared popping, making her squirm again to try to break his hold.

"I see even you are human, witch. Does it hurt?" he asked, putting his full weight on her, making her yell and kick at him. "I'll take that as a yes," Zhao laughed, letting her go.

She slid down the wall to rest on the floor on her stomach. Fire spread from the burn as she tried to control her breathing again. Once she managed to control herself, she sat up, keeping her back as relaxed as possible.

"Answer me, witch," he growled.

"I don't know. I honestly don't know," she said, the wince in her voice noticed by the Firebender.

He slapped her furiously, watching her wince and rub her jaw. "Tell me!"

Sorano chuckled and made a rude gesture.

Admiral Zhao kicked her in the stomach, sending her rolling across the floor. He rested his foot on her stomach, pressing down until she screamed. "Where are they?"

"I don't know. They could be anywhere," she answered in a small voice.

He frowned and stepped back, letting her roll on her side as the pain flared. "Hebi, I do believe it is your turn to make her scream."

The demon grinned, revealing a mouthful of sharp teeth. She spat at them as the demon drew near. Why the hell hadn't the one in her reacted and torn them apart?

'_Dammit,'_ she thought as her mind began to throb and fell right into the beast's hands.

* * *

Iroh saw his nephew off and stood back as he ordered the crew to set sail. Zuko sat alone on his small boat as it glided through the water. He needed to sneak around to the other side of the island and hope no one would find his ship.

Zuko really hoped that he wasn't making a giant mistake.

The sorceress' stuff was sitting on his small bed. He really had no idea how the demons had guessed what he would do but he was grateful they had. Zuko didn't have many clothes that would…appeal to her.

He guided the small steel craft onto land twenty minutes later. Sighing, he undid his topknot in order to put the hood over the back of his head. The Firebender slipped the demon mask on and made his way onto the sand. Concentrating, the prince raced off, listening for any noises or the smell of smoke.

Swiftly, he scaled a tree as a watch group patrolled the trees, staying away from the torch light. He waited until they moved on and made his way through the trees. Branches under him bent slightly and the leaves rustled but no one was fast enough to catch a glimpse of him. He fell to the ground, rolling to lessen the impact of his fall. One sword out, he dashed into the port, taking to the shadows to escape the guards.

The only thing blocking his path to a straight run up the ramp was a full on guard watch. Frowning, he unsheathed both broadswords and prepared to take the soldiers out.

An alarm suddenly went off and Zuko started, wondering if he'd been seen. Catching himself, he retreated to the top of a shop's roof, hiding in the shadows. Yelling and shouting surrounded him and he swore that they'd found him.

But the shouting grew weaker and Zuko looked towards the sky to find some strange creature moving through the darkness. He thanked the gods for this distraction. Maybe luck would keep him alive this time.

* * *

'_Blood bathed her as claws ripped into the hard flesh, coating her even more. She could see everything, hear every gurgled scream, even taste the blood. _

_But she couldn't control herself. _

_She cried silently as she ripped the demon open again. His face was frozen in an expression of horror and she struggled to stop herself._

_The demon in her stirred and forced her back, enjoying himself. Her pain drove him on as the next demon attacked. He lasted a good five seconds before his throat was slashed open. Blood soaked the ground as he fell, gasping for a lost breath._

_Screaming, she tried to ignore this, knowing it wasn't real. But it felt so real and she couldn't turn away.'_

* * *

Zhao watched the witch spasm on the floor, her eyes rolled back in her head. The demon was grinning, his hand resting on her forehead to control the images flashing through her conscious. She let out a strangled scream as she rocked violently on the ground, almost sounding like she was choking on something.

"That's enough. Let's see how that did," he commanded.

Hebi backed away reluctantly, his contact vanishing. She whimpered, trembling once before she gasped and snapped back to reality.

"Where is your crew?" he asked, smirking at her terrified glances around the cell.

"Don't know," she whimpered, her breathing fast and labored.

"So sorry then," the admiral tsked, backing up and nodding at the demon.

He grinned and eagerly regained his foothold in the witch's mind, deciding to take her on a new ride. Her eyes rolled back again as the illusions chased her, forcing her to take part in them. The witch started shaking all over again, the strangled screams ripping out from her.

"If she breaks, come and tell me what she says," the Firebender ordered, turning on his heel and leaving the witch alone with his servant.

Hebi chuckled, his gold eyes shining with delight. He would take his sweet time in letting that happen.

* * *

As quick as he could, he rushed onto the boat, slipping through the shadows. Once inside the belly of the ship, he took the mask off, rubbing his face. Sighing, he slipped it back on and secured it before stealthily moving down towards the holding cells.

He knocked three guards unconscious on his way to the third floor under the ship. Keeping quiet, he shoved all three into a broom closet and continued, ears straining to hear even the slightest noise.

He jumped up and clung to the ceiling as footsteps sounded and Zhao's voice rose up. Zuko listened as the admiral walked by with a lieutenant, the smirk still on his face.

"Hebi will break her by at least two this morning. Once we have the crew's whereabouts, set a course and we'll kill each and every one of them in front of her."

Zuko resisted the urge to drop down and slit his throat.

"Until then, no disturbances. I'll be in my quarters." Zhao continued down the hall, stepping up the stairs while the lieutenant rolled his eyes and moved into the next door.

He waited three minutes before dropping down gracefully. Holding in his anger, Zuko made his way further into the beast, checking around every corner. He smirked as the guards thinned out to one every level. The Firebender dealt with each one easily and found the holding cells easily.

Something else was down here.

Quickly, he dashed down the hallway, listening as the demon chuckled and as the weirdest noises echoed in the empty area. Zuko stopped by the cell and drew his swords, ready to cut the demon into pieces. Noiselessly, he kicked the weak bar in the door, letting it fall with a metallic clunk and watching the demon start. Grunting, he swung the sword, knocking the beast to the floor and kicking him across the cell.

Done with the demon he turned to the witch, wincing underneath his mask. She was white, eyes rolled back. Her body was shaking all over as the contact vanished. Whining, she snapped back to reality and tried to attack the first thing she saw.

Zuko dodged a swipe from her as she came back. He stood back, letting her adjust to the cell again.

She gasped for air and he moved closer but stopped when she growled. Chest heaving, her one eye shot around the cell even as her mind cleared. Shaking still, she sat back and rubbed her arms, the illusions vanishing in some corner of her mind.

He knelt down, making sure she was focused on him. She stared at him with a confused look, body still trembling.

"Sorano?" he whispered, keeping his voice even. He touched her shoulder, keeping her focused. Her face broke out in a grin as she recognized him.

"Hey," she mumbled.

And promptly fell face first as the entirety of pain and the illusions caught up with her.

Zuko caught her without thinking, being as gentle as he could with the burn. He winced as he caught a glimpse of the wound coated in dirt and ripped up even more. Gently, he shifted her, placing the witch over his shoulder and standing, adjusting to the extra dead weight.

His mind was occupied as he moved, almost going about the place on autopilot. The guards were still down for the count, a good thing for him. He didn't think he could take them on with the sorceress unconscious.

Quietly, he slipped through the shadows on the deck, holding the witch tightly as he raced down the ramp.

His trip back to his boat was uneventful and he was thankful for it. No matter what, his first priority was the witch. He boarded, keeping the pounding of his feet to a minimum. Pushing the door open, he laid her on the bed and went back out, getting the boat ready to go.

Zuko forced himself to calm as he forced the boat back into the water. She would be all right. All he had to do was to get her to the ship and get the medic to look at her. In the mean time, he would try and make her as comfortable as possible.

She was sleeping when he walked in the small living space. The Firebender approached her cautiously, not really knowing how to go about this. Well, for starters, he could try and get the shirt off of her. It was restricting her breathing now more than ever. And he wasn't doing it just because he could.

Well, that was what he kept telling himself.

He had to take a knife and cut off part of the ruined shirt. It had melded with her wound and he didn't want to risk hurting her more than he had to.

The Firebender settled in for the three hour trip, wondering why the ship seemed to be moving a little slower than usual.

Problem was his ship had an extra passenger besides the witch.


	15. Healing

Extremely sorry for the long wait, writer's block likes to hit me. Everyone will be pleasantly surprised on the "guest" though.

Also, in light of the new episodes of _Avatar_, this is ignoring what happened in Chapter 18 (The Waterbending Master) but will deal with some of those issues (like the Waterbending Master) later.

Thanks to star, Mallaidh, and My Silver Wound for reviewing! Please keep reading!

This chapter does have the sorcerer's language (which is just Japanese but I can only use a few words, not complete sentences) and is a little lighter than the last one. Also, I have a question for the readers: should Zuko develop an interest in Sorano (ZukoXSorano, even if she is ten years his senior) or should it be just ZukoXOther (don't know yet)and SoranoXOther (doesn't matter, either way works fine with the plot). I would just like to add a little romance (I can't help it).

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Nope, own nothing but the demons and the witch.

* * *

**Chapter 13 – _Chiyu_**

She was in pain.

Whimpering, she fought to gain a foothold in reality as the illusions chased her. Her struggle ended as her body rolled and hit the oversensitive skin on her back. With a gasp, she broke the illusions and snapped awake.

Disoriented, she struggled to focus on anything. She could hear the frantic beating of her heart and her own labored breathing only. Whimpering, she tried to get to her feet, shaking like a leaf as her vision started to swim back. A hand rested on her arm and she scrambled away, still not fully conscious.

"Hey, calm down."

The voice made her try to find the source, her head searching the area frantically.

Zuko didn't know what to do. She was trembling all over, searching the room while making the weirdest noises. He had left the wards on incase she woke up in a panic like now.

Slowly, he approached her, trying to catch her attention. The one grey eye landed on him, focusing. She gasped for air as the panic faded and she began to calm down.

He placed his hand on her shoulder to get her to lie back down. The witch didn't need to be moving at this point. Her burn was even worse now and the fever that had developed was worsening her condition. She gazed at him with a slightly vacant look before collapsing back down, looking almost like a distressed Komodo Rhino.

Zuko picked up the rag that had been resting on her forehead, wringing it out over the bowl. He dipped it back in the water and wrung it out again before laying it across her forehead. She whined and tried to snap up again but he held her down until she relaxed, shaking all over. Sweat poured down her body, causing her muscles to twitch and spasm lightly. The witch was most likely dehydrated from the fight but he couldn't help her with that at the moment.

Sighing, he picked up the jar, turning it over in his hands. Opening it, he looked over at her. Zuko sat on the edge of the bed and scooped up a glob of the strange salve.

Immediately, his fingers went numb.

Startled, he jerked slightly at the quickness of the goop. That was something he had needed when he had his own burn. He glanced at her for a moment before getting another glob on his hand. As gently as humanly possible, he smeared the small amount on the burn, feeling her jolt slightly before calming again. Her eyes suddenly went half-lidded and she lied still as the Firebender spread the salve over the burn.

He replaced the lid and shook his hand to get the feeling back into his fingers. Zuko forced her to sit, letting her lean on the wall as he tried his best to wrap the wound. Sorano whimpered and attempted to fend him off. Her attempt was weak and he easily stopped her. Gently, he laid her back down and replaced the rag on her forehead. The witch blinked as the Firebender made her drink something before letting her rest.

Sighing, he leaned back in his chair, watching her sleep. She'd moan and snuggle farther under blanket periodically until she was completely curled up under the covers.

Restless, Zuko stood and went outside, leaning against the railing of the ship. He searched for the steel ship for a moment and frowned. This boat was going slower than usual. The witch couldn't have weighed that much.

His thoughts were cut off when he heard Sorano let out a yell. The Firebender turned, finding her trying to get out of the small bed. He moved quickly, grabbing her arms and keeping her still. She turned to him, the grey eye clouded with fever.

"_Nani_? Zuko…"

He listened while struggling to understand what she was saying. She had to be speaking in the sorcerer's language. The witch stopped and looked up at him, intending him to answer her. Zuko hadn't realized she had asked a question and struggled to figure out something to say.

"Yes," he finally answered.

That seemed good enough for her as she started to lose the strength to stand. He helped her back into the bed, draping the blanket over her. She whined and lifted her head, watching him as he sat in the chair again. Sorano seemed to judge whether he would stay or not before she passed out, her fear resolved.

Zuko made sure to keep her still, especially when she started awake and tried to make sure he was around. Her fears of the demon were evident as she made sure he was in one piece before she slipped unconscious again. He stayed in the chair besides her, answering her questions with either a "yes" or "no" as he had no idea what she was talking about.

The worst had to have been when she woke up screaming, nearly catching his face with her nails. Zuko had to hold her down until she calmed. She was shaking again, the fever affecting her more than it should've been.

Thinking, he began burning the wards off, understanding now why this fever was as serious as it was.

The grey eye flashed gold suddenly as the ward around her neck turned to ashes. Claws tried to rip his face open and he stood back, letting the demon roar and thrash. Its strength failed though as the witch's body fell to the floor. The demon glared at him, the fangs growing and sharpening to needle-points.

"You bastard," Zuko hissed, his fists lighting up. "You like her pain, don't you? That's why you didn't come out. You laughed at her pain, enjoyed it didn't you? Wanted to wait until I burned those things off to have an excuse for not showing up?" The fists had turned into balls of fire as his anger escalated.

The demon smirked, snarling as it approached the Firebender.

"But she has some control over you, doesn't she? That's why you couldn't shred my clothes on the ship."

A fleeting fear passed through the golden eye.

"She's stronger than you," he laughed. "You want to break her by killing one of the demons. Or me it seems," he remarked as he dodged an attack. "But she's still stronger than you. I don't even need to fight you. She's taking care of that now."

Growling, the demon shook his head, forcing the witch's control down. He was going to kill this son of a –

Zuko watched as the claws and fangs shrank, the gold swirling with grey. Wincing as the witch flipped onto her back, trembling for what seemed like an eternity before collapsing. Her breathing was hard, pupils dilated.

He helped her to her feet, holding onto her as she sucked in air. Sorano held onto him, moving closer as he was warm and the air was freaking freezing. Zuko led her back to the bed, laying her down again.

"Zuko?" she mumbled while he draped the blanket over her. "What?"

"Well, you're not talking in that sorcerer's language anymore," he commented, watching her face for any sign of discomfort.

She gave him a confused look.

The Firebender shrugged and gave her a small smile. "You need to be more careful, Sorano."

"Shut up," the witch grumbled, glaring up at him.

His smile faltered and he lowered himself into the chair again. "The demons were worried about you."

She rolled onto her side, the fever still plaguing her. "You talk to them?"

"They came to me," he grunted, leaning back in the chair. "Get some rest."

Sorano chuckled, pleased to find her back felt quite a bit better than it had before. "You softie," she mumbled, slipping under.

* * *

Zuko emerged from his boat when the larger ship pulled them into the hull. The Firebender carried the witch while Sorano gave him a death glare.

"I can walk, bastard," she mumbled, wishing she could swipe at his face.

"Sure you can," he replied, placing her on the stretcher Iroh had provided. "Make sure she gets the best care."

"I'll get you, you bastard!" she called out, waving her fist weakly at him and wincing.

"I see the mission was a success, Prince Zuko," Iroh commented, grinning despite himself. "You also seem to have another guest."

"Sorano?" he asked, giving his uncle a confused look.

"No," he answered. "That one."

Zuko turned around, blinking in surprise. A huge grey paw about the size of his head hung off the top of his boat and a tail as thick around as a tree trunk twitching with it. Both Firebenders walked around the ship, seeing another paw tipped with sharp claws.

The two stared up at a very dog-like head, a patch of long, silver hair hanging down. It appeared to be sleeping, mouth open and showing off six very sharp fangs.

"It appears to be a Lion Dog, Prince Zuko. I thought they were only seen at the Eastern Air Temple though," his uncle mused.

An ear twitched and one eye opened, the pupil focusing on the two. The strange beast grunted and rolled onto his stomach, wincing. Panting, the patch of hair fell over his eyes as he tried to stand and sank back down. The strong muscles around his flank twitched, shuddering around the arrowhead that had pierced the flesh.

"I believe he is injured, Prince Zuko," Iroh said softly. "Maybe you should have the medic look at him after Miss Sorano."

"Yeah," the prince agreed, watching the beast lie back down. "I will go tell him, uncle."

Iroh smirked to himself as the young man left, looking a little too eager than he really should've been. The old man glanced at the large creature, giving him a warm smile. "Been on your own as well, my friend?"

The Lion Dog grunted in response, watching the Firebender cautiously.

"I am very sure Miss Sorano will care for you as soon as she is on her feet again," Iroh said, watching the animal as the corners of his mouth lifted. He let out a deep bark and rolled onto his side again.

* * *

Zuko knocked before entering, poking his head into the sick bay. Sheets were drawn around one of the few beds in the room, a slight silhouette of the medic reflecting onto the sheet. He pulled back the sheet slightly, watching the medic look up at him from his work with the burn. Sorano was lying on her side, a blanket covering her front but leaving the back free for the medic to work with.

"Good evening, Prince Zuko," he said, his slight annoyed state disappearing when he found out who was disturbing him.

"How is she?" he asked, watching the witch as she shifted.

"This burn is in terrible shape but this salve seems to be helping it well," he responded, cleaning the wound.

"I'm awake," she growled, head turning to glare at both of them.

"I told you not to move," the medic snapped.

Sorano grumbled under her breath and settled down, frowning. Zuko smirked and shook his head.

"There is another patient though. A very large Lion Dog was hit with an arrow. He is down with my ship."

"A Lion Dog?" she asked, turning again and receiving a smack to her sore shoulder from the medic. "Fine, fine, no moving!" she cried, grumbling again.

Zuko nodded and held back a chuckle.

"I'll tend to the animal when I'm done here," the medic said, frustrated with his patient already.

The Firebender smirked when she mimicked him and earned another hit to the shoulder. "Sorano, be at least a little courteous," he scolded lightly.

"I'm going to kill you, Zuko, I really am," she warned, staying still though incase the medic wanted to hit her again.

He shook his head again, thanked the medic for his work, and retreated as the sorceress threatened him once again. Sighing, he finally felt the exhaustion of the night hit him full force. Zuko let his feet take him to his room, lying down on his bed and falling asleep in minutes.


	16. Power

Wow, what a season finale! Can't wait for the next season to start!

Also, for those of you who read this, this will move in and out of Book One. I'll post this at the beginning as well but this is how it is: This story starts right after the events in Chapter 15: Bato of the Water Tribe. It runs right through to Chapter Eighteen: The Waterbending Master and then picks up again right after the season finale, The Siege of the North Part II. Right after this chapter, it goes to The Waterbending Master and follows along with the show to Chapter Twenty. Next chapter will pick up right after the season finale and then go completely different.

So: Bato of the Water Tribe; then _Jujutsu_ to Chapter 14; The Waterbending Master to The Siege of the North Part II; then _Jujutsu_ Chapter 15 to its last chapter.

Thanks to mallaidh and My Silver Wound for updating! For those worried that romance will be a main part, it won't. It will most likely appear in the last few chapters (which won't be for a long time). Nani is a simple way of saying 'what' and the Lion Dog will be more involved than right now. Also, I have no idea how Pai Sho works so I made up the game as I went.

Wow, longest author's note so far. Let's get moving.

* * *

**Chapter 14 – _Tsuyosa_**

It had to be just sunrise when Zuko snapped awake, yawning into his hand. He hadn't slept more than three hours. Rubbing his head, he felt like he had been hit by the ship repeatedly. Yawning, he decided to see what was going on and what the witch had done to his ship yet.

Nothing appeared to be out of place as he made his way down to the sick bay. Several nameless soldiers nodded to him but he ignored the silent welcome.

The sick bay was empty except for the lone figure sprawled out on the bed. Small snores echoed throughout the room and grew louder as he approached the bed.

"Do you have to be a bother?" she mumbled, opening an eye. Problem was, it was her blind eye and she had to roll onto her side in order to see him.

"Do you have to be a light sleeper?" he countered back.

"When you live on a ship with three demons, you have to be a light sleeper," she grumbled, hand resting under her head.

"How's your back?" he asked, watching as she rolled her shoulders.

"A little painful, not as much as it was," she answered, yawning. "Good night." Sorano pulled the blanket over her head, curling up.

"It's past sunrise," Zuko said.

Her head peeked out from under the sheet. "Well, good morning, then." She disappeared under the covers again.

Zuko rolled his eyes and left her alone. His hand passed over his head again, rubbing the slight headache away and feeling the small amount of stubble. He had kept his head shaved after his father had defeated him in order to keep people away from him. Once again, he felt tired and immediately screwed over his crew and went back to his room to sleep.

* * *

The Firebender snapped awake a few hours later, feeling much better than before. He stretched for several minutes in his room, controlling his breathing. It was strange, he felt calmer now ever since the witch had appeared. Well, more like forced herself to be in his way.

Zuko decided to find out what his crazy uncle was up to at the moment. Most likely killing the crew at Pai Sho or drinking his nasty tea. He still couldn't understand why his uncle liked it.

He strode through the door into the navigation room and froze as he processed what was going on.

Sorano sat on her knees, back straighter than normal, eyes looking for a move to make on the Pai Sho board. Iroh sat across from her, hands tucked in his sleeves as he watched her carefully.

Zuko blinked and walked towards the board, glaring at both his uncle and the witch.

"Lotus tile up four please," she said.

One of Iroh's main players moved said tile up while she grinned widely.

The Firebender cleared his throat loudly.

"Have a good sleep then?" she asked, biting her lower lip as she thought about her next move. She hummed and gazed around the board. "Lily tile right six," she said.

"Why are you out of bed?" he asked, watching her shrug slightly.

"Had a good rest and felt that it was enough. I found Iroh up here beating those poor saps and decided to pit wit against wit," she answered, frowning at his uncle's move.

"You climbed several flights of stairs?" he questioned, narrowing his eyes as she chuckled.

"Oh, no," she retorted. "I would have collapsed after the first three. Kin flew me up here. Lotus tile up three."

"Who?" he asked, brow furrowing.

Sorano pointed out the window in front of the helmsman and returned to her game.

He gave her a strange look and walked to the window, trying to find 'Kin.'

The only thing on deck was the Lion Dog, his wound bandaged. The huge beast was sunbathing, looking dead to the world and everything on it.

"You named him?" he finally managed.

"Of course!" she chirped. "Everything's got to have a name!" Her sudden outburst though caused her back to shift too much and she winced.

He raised an eyebrow and shook his head. The really had nothing else to do and watch their silly game. Zuko still didn't understand it but watched nonetheless, fascinated by the tension passing between them.

Then he began to see the game as a war strategy, finding the way both would resist sacrificing tiles to the other. Iroh finally had to give up his famed Lotus tile to Sorano as she trapped him. The two squared off, both faces set grim, Sorano losing her Lily tile to Iroh. She worried her bottom lip and then made the final move.

"Sailed Ship left two," she ordered.

Iroh blinked and search frantically for an out but found none. Sighing, he nodded and the witch grinned widely.

"It's been a long while since someone's beaten me," his uncle said, smiling. "I've been trying to teach Prince Zuko but he never seems to be interested."

The Firebender frowned and rolled his eyes.

"Ah, come on, Zuko," she said with a laugh. "It's a war strategy game. Teaches you how to win a battle with the fewest sacrifices." Her eyes almost glowed, her smile never faltering. "Because people sacrifices are what make good leaders turn bad." Sorano's entire demeanor changed, the smile fading away as she picked up Iroh's Lotus tile.

He looked up at her, watching her twirl the small chip. His eyes widened slightly at her strange statement but no one said anything to contradict her.

* * *

The wind teased the cloak wrapped around him, keeping out the cold. He sighed and rested his forearms against the railing of the ship, staring up into the sky. His breath came out in small wisps as he just stood still, enjoying the night.

"Zuko?"

He turned, golden eyes resting on her form in the hatch door. His eyebrows furrowed slightly at seeing one of his cloaks wrapped around her shoulders.

"You'll catch a cold. And even I can't heal that," Sorano said, tilting her head.

"Just…wanted to enjoy tonight," he mumbled.

She leaned on the railing next to him, being careful with her wound and shifting several times. Breathing in, she let a large exhale escape, throwing out steam in a large puff.

Not wanting to be outdone, he let loose a breath of smoke.

The witch frowned and he just watched as she shot a small ball of light into the air.

"Show off," he grumbled. Zuko turned to her finally and asked what he had been meaning to for a while. "You could be the Royal Wizard if you wanted to. Why stay on a ship and just sail around the world?"

Her smile faltered and she ran a hand through her loose hair. "I don't want those things, Zuko. There's too much there, too many corrupted people. I couldn't stand being there, watching my own kind suffer while I can't do anything about it." She rested her chin on her crossed arms, brow creased.

"You could do so much though. You'd have more power than-"

"I don't want power, Zuko," she interrupted. "Power leads to corruption." She faced him, eyes lighting up. "Look at your father, he could end this war now but he wants everything for himself. He sees himself as more powerful than others, and that leads to destruction." Her head dropped and she sighed heavily. "I'm happy where I am for some reason. And that's all I need." She grabbed his hand, turned it palm up. "Give me a white flame."

He was surprised at her sudden order but forced his bending through his hand. The fire lit up immediately, glowing in the darkness a bright yellow. He concentrated, absorbing heat from it until it turned pure white.

"This is the purest form of fire. Not too hot, it doesn't try to hurt anything. It bends away mostly, keeping itself safe. Children are often associated with it; innocent and pure." She seemed entranced by the flame, hand moving over it lightly. An almost serene look washed over her face before it vanished, turning slightly darker. "Get this as hot as you can."

The Firebender blinked and focused on breathing as she backed away. He bit his lower lip as the heat increased but he couldn't get anything over a blood red color.

"Let me see it," she whispered, holding her hands out. Markings were etched all over them, strange symbols that reflected the firelight. He let the fire crawl from his control into hers, gasping slightly as she fed it raw energy. The flame crackled and twisted, glowing brightly before it faded into an unearthly blue. Sweat started to drip off of her face as she forced herself to hold the flame.

"This is what happens with power," she breathed out. "It twists the heart until it becomes rotten and evil. Pain is at its hands; it wishes to destroy no matter what it is." The witch took in a shuddering breath, eyes trained on the flickering flame. "People with too much power end up like this." The fire started to fade off back to red and she handed it back. "Turn it yellow-orange."

Zuko nodded and drew away heat until the color turned a light orange.

"This is where people should be, not too innocent but not too evil. A perfect balance, which is important to all. One with this balance knows to not kill unless it is absolutely necessary," she explained as she gazed at the fire. "Yin and yang."

He let the flame vanish, leaving the two in darkness. She wiped her hands off, the chalk she had borrowed staining her black pants.

"I'm happy where I live. My power means nothing to me unless it's to help someone." Sorano wrapped the cloak tighter around her, drawing in deep breaths.

"But you have so much. You could be a master of everything," he said, eyes watching her face.

"True, but there's so much to learn about magic that even the Royal Wizard himself could not handle it all." She smiled softly, staring up at the strange half moon. "We specialize in areas that our magic works best in. I go with medicines and healing items as I can make money off of those. I try a little in other areas so I'm not completely useless when defending my crew." Her stance shifted, as she held the cloth tighter around her. He unconsciously moved closer, raising his body temperature up slightly.

She smiled at his small gesture. "When you become Fire Lord, just remember not to think about your power."

His face darkened so fast, she swore he had reached an all time low. "I'll never be Fire Lord."

Her eyes rolled upward. "You're so stupid."

"What?" he asked, almost roaring.

Sorano's eyes lit up and she ducked away as he swiped at her.

"I'm going to kill you, witch!" he yelled, chasing after her as she retreated around the side of the ship.

"You wouldn't hurt an invalid, would you?" she asked innocently, giggling as she jumped to the side away from a halfhearted attack.

He stopped his offense and watched her with a critical eye. "How do you handle it without being corrupt?"

"I guess my slight insanity keeps me in check," she answered, grinning like a maniac.

Her body suddenly tensed and he feared that she had hurt herself in their chase. Then she laughed and leapt into the air, cheering loudly.

Zuko turned and blinked at the small ship approaching them with its three man crew on board. Or, three demon crew. He smiled and waved at Hoshi to bring the ship around.

"Hoshi! Forty degrees to the left!" Sorano called out, her smile getting wider by the moment. She set out the anchor as soon as the boat was set, the ramp appearing and resting against the side.

All three demons raced up, Hoshi grabbing her first. She was buried under a multitude of bodies as Zuko smirked at her slight panic.

Then his smirk vanished as he realized what would happen. The witch would leave with her crew and everything would be as it had before. She would be a wanted person, open for Zhao to attack. He would be hunting the Avatar, clashing heads with the monkey-faced Admiral, and going down a dangerous path to destruction.

And he would miss her.


	17. Flashback

Time for another interlude…or flashback. Yay!

* * *

_**Furasshubaku**_

They had tried to discourage her from what she loved.

Most parents had tried and failed, losing their children to be drafted into the army or worse. The Fire Nation checked up regularly on new children to make sure they would not become "traitors and succumb to primitive ways" as they called it.

Her parents managed to knock her off the list, keeping her safe from the evil. Then, she began to play with the air, made butterflies do whatever she wanted, and keep the predators from their tiny flock of Wooly Goats. It was hard to hide her strange power over nature and they forbid her to use it.

Then their Komodo Rhino, the only one on the tiny farm, got sick. They tried everything but nothing made him feel better and his health deteriorated. All hope was lost for them to live.

She merely grabbed a few plants and mixed them together, energy flowing into the concoction. The small girl fed the mush to the creature and let him sleep.

The next day, he was up and ready to work, looking as though he had never been ill. Her parents cried as they hugged her as she had saved them all. She was once again allowed to practice her gift. They had lost their eldest to the war but they would not lose her.

A year passed as they began to thrive. Their daughter's magic allowed the farm to prosper and the other farmers became suspicious. The Fire Nation paid a hefty sum for those who knew where a witch lived. And, by that time, many were greedy and longing for money.

Fire Nation soldiers showed up at their door days later, wanting their child for examination. If she passed, she would be returned. If not, she would either be drafted or destroyed.

Her mother forced her to run and she did, always the girl who obeyed. The soldiers took her parents in forcibly to be punished for their treachery. Several tried to follow her into the woods but it became hard when the trees fought back, her powers out of control and lashing at the men chasing her. She had managed to escape into the large, old woods, pushing through and trying to find anyone who would help her.

Days passed and she grew weaker as she stumbled through the trees, knowing she had to be walking in circles. The trees were blurring together until she couldn't tell where one ended and another began. Her body was collapsing in on itself, she hadn't been able to find anything to eat.

She found someone as her legs refused to move. Not caring if it was a monster, a Fire soldier, or worse, she approached the person, begging him to help her before she fell and fainted.

When she woke up, a witch was looking after her, her demon servant helping and the one who had found the girl. She had found herself a master to learn from, becoming the witch's apprentice.

Then the Fire Nation appeared again, the witch fending them off while the demon grabbed the girl and ran. He cried out when she died, free from her control but not free from his promise. The demon fought the soldiers who appeared to take his charge, his body not used to the sudden switch from remaining dormant to being a fighter master again. She became enraged when he fell, powers spinning out of control from the losses. Her energy forced the trees to react, lashing out at the trapped fighters while she and the demon ran.

A boat, thrashed by the rocks around the island, was their salvation as she helped put it back together, feeding it energy to keep it together. It grew bigger as they sailed, picking up new allies and meeting new enemies. They helped people, keeping her spirit alive as they traveled the world.

But she never forgot the sacrifices made for her. And one day, she might lose one close to her again. She kept distant from others, staying only with her crew. It was something she was familiar with and it kept her mind from finally losing what sanity she had left. Once that happened, her body would be consumed by the demon within. The demon would only seek to destroy as her mind and soul faded from the picture. The world would fall into chaos as even the Avatar would have trouble banishing the demon.

She didn't want to cause anymore pain to ones she cared about.


	18. Reunion Part 1

I'm going to say this right now: **Warning, this contains spoilers for the last two episodes of Avatar. Read at your own risk.**

Now that that's out of the way: Thanks to My Silver Wound for reviewing! I don't know if Zhao is dead or not but that will be a question here.

Updates will be coming a little faster as Christmas Break is coming and I have very few finals this semester. Part of the problem was a graphic novel that I had to draw for a project on _Julius Caesar_ that turned out pretty funny but it was late because our group was unorganized and lines were invented on the spot. I might start drawing small pictures for this story.

This is a two part chapter as it would be longer than the others if the second part was included. And this is the part that happens right after the Siege of the North. Enjoy!

Disclaimer (because I keep forgetting): I don't own Zuko or Iroh or the Spirits. I own the witch, her crew, the ship, and the Lion Dog. :P

* * *

**Chapter 15 – _Saikai Ippan 1_**

"_I guess you're going then," he said, watching her as she nodded._

"_I have to. My crew needs me," Sorano answered. Kin had already made himself at home, sunbathing on the deck. The Lion Dog stretched out and went back to sleep._

"_Well, good luck then," he replied stiffly, forcing himself to be neutral about this entire thing._

"_You're so predictable," she laughed. The witch wrapped him in a hug, smirking at his tenseness. _

_He watched them sail off, feeling a slight emptiness inside of him. Iroh asked him what he wanted to do, watching his nephew's reaction._

"_Go after the Avatar."_

_Iroh sighed, feeling that maybe not even the witch could help his misguided adopted son._

* * *

Zuko sat on their makeshift raft, shivering and teeth chattering. He had already wasted much of his energy creating a fire to keep him warm. His uncle was suffering a little less or worse, he wasn't sure. Iroh was heavier in build and was a little overweight but he was also older. He seemed okay but he was looking pale. They had barely been able to catch anything to eat. The two had enough water from melting the icebergs but that wasn't much help when the two were starving.

"Uncle, do you know where we are?" Zuko asked between his chattering teeth.

"Honestly," he began, "no."

The Firebender groaned and wrapped his arms around his knees, trying to conserve his body heat. Iroh moved closer, finally shivering.

"What now?" he asked, staring off into the miles of icebergs and water.

"Well, I would guess that we find land or another ship," his uncle answered.

"No, I mean what do I do now?" he said, frowning. "There's nothing for me to do anymore. Father will never let me come back."

Iroh sighed and wrapped an arm around his nephew's shoulder. "I have been trying to tell you all this time, Prince Zuko. Your father would never let you come back anyways, Avatar or not." The retired general smiled and nodded to the younger man's surprise. "He sent you away because he feels ashamed of you; he feels that you will never make something of yourself."

Zuko's head dropped as his mood plummeted.

"But, he does not see you like I do," Iroh continued, smiling at the Firebender. "I see a powerful young man that, with the right training and guidance, will become wise and be a great Fire Lord."

Shivering, he leaned into his uncle, closing his eyes. "Thank you, uncle."

"Anytime, Prince Zuko," he replied.

"I'm not a prince anymore, uncle." The Firebender closed his eyes, feeling sick as he shivered. "Stop calling me that."

His smile fell but he nodded, breathing in deeply. "All right, Zuko."

There was a slight creaking sound and both tensed, ready to fight with all they had. The creaking grew louder and both Firebenders stood on shaky legs, already in fighting stances.

"Remember your basics, Zuko," Iroh reminded.

"Ahoy?"

Both relaxed suddenly as the ship appeared from behind an iceberg, the strange patchwork of metal and wood looking incredibly familiar. Zuko nearly laughed and jumped for joy as he saw the large gray dog looking off the side of the ship with two demons and a strangely dressed woman.

"Hoshi! Sixteen degrees to the left!" she called out, moving to the bow of the ship. "You guys okay?"

"Talk later! Get over here now!" Zuko yelled, trembling.

He heard her laugh as the ship pulled in close, the small raft churning slightly in the waves. A rope was thrown over the side, piling up on the makeshift boat. Zuko forced his uncle to go first, tying the rope securely around his large waist. He watched as his uncle was pulled up onto the ship and shivered.

Zuko tied the rope around his own middle and took the sudden moves and stops of the rope as he was lifted up into the boat. Sorano pulled him onto the deck, rubbing his arms to help warm him up.

"Been a while, Zuko," she said, grinning widely. Her head tilted to the side, eyes showing she was relieved that they were in one piece. "I'm wondering why you two are out on a makeshift boat in the middle of the North Pole, though."

"Long story," he grunted, shivering. "Need warmth."

Sorano laughed and nodded. "Hoshi, keep heading north. Nezu, go see if you can make the furnace room a little more comfortable. Ookami, whip these guys up something warm to eat." Her orders were followed immediately, the demons working up a storm.

"Come on, boys. We don't need your colds getting worse," she said, wrapping an arm around both of their shoulders.

Both Firebenders followed her down into the hatch, Zuko remembering this ship like the back of his hand. She kicked the same wall down again and led the two men into the belly of the ship. The furnace was roaring as the wind wasn't picking up too well here, making the room warm and cozy. Zuko immediately collapsed onto one of the pallets set out, settling in front of the fire. Iroh groaned as he sat down, resting on his elbows.

"You boys should get out of those clothes before you freeze to death," she remarked, moving back up the stairs. "I'll go check to see what Ookami's making."

Zuko waited until he heard the door close before stripping off the white snowsuit, wrapping a blanket around himself to hold off the cold air. He kept his head turned away when his uncle pulled off the robe, remembering the unpleasantness that had happened around the Winter Solstice. The two sat in front of the roaring furnace wrapped in blankets, Iroh dozing off slightly.

Sorano came back down, a tray balanced on one arm. Her smile widened as she found both Firebenders curled up with the flames. "Come on, boys. You two must be starving."

Immediately, both reacted, gazing at her with hungry eyes. Carefully, she set the tray down between them, leaping back when both of them attacked it. Grinning, she sat cross-legged behind the two.

"So, what are you two doing out here?" she asked as they finally slowed their intake of food.

Zuko swallowed a piece of bread before responding. "You can blame Zhao for everything."

"So specific," she replied, eyes rolling. "Iroh?"

He took a long drink of tea, breathing in deeply. "The Fire Nation finished an attempted attack on the Northern Water Tribe. We lost and barely managed to drift away."

"I assume you met Twee and La while you were there?" the witch asked, brows furrowing slightly. While Zuko look confused, Iroh just nodded. "Everything's all right then?"

"Zhao tried to take out the moon to win the battle by destroying the Moon Spirit. He did but the Avatar was there and the Ocean Spirit helped the Water Tribe win the battle in a fit of rage." He paused slightly, adding dramatic effect. "One of the girls though, the Moon Spirit had saved her life and therefore had passed its life to her. She sacrificed herself to right the world, bringing the Moon Spirit back and ending the Ocean Spirit's rage."

She nodded, eyes watching the fire. "I had hoped that someone had set the world right again. All of us felt it on the ship when the sky turned red." The smile had disappeared. "Ookami felt it first though. Canine demons cannot live right without the moon. Fell like a tree and screamed when the sky turned blood. When the moon disappeared, though, he just," she paused as though trying to find the right word. "Died." A shudder ran its course through her. "Scared us all to death. We changed course to help out Twee and La as is what we are magically bound to do but then the moon reappeared and he woke back up. It was like nothing ever happened."

"The Moon Spirit is back in its rightful place, circling around the Ocean Spirit," Iroh confirmed. "I watched it return."

"Thank you, Iroh," the witch replied, patting his shoulder. She stood suddenly, smiling down at them. "You two should get some rest. I'm going to get Hoshi to turn around. It's freezing here."

Zuko chuckled slightly as he lied down on the pallet, curled up under the warm blanket. His uncle followed suit and was snoring before the teenager had time to settle in. Sometime during his slight doze, he heard the door at the top open but only found the Lion Dog making his way down. The huge beast stretched out next to him, head resting on his large paws. A dark black dorsal line ran up his spine, splitting at his shoulders to form into two arrows that pointed to the ground.

The Firebender gave Kin a small kick to move him away a little. The beast grunted and rolled onto his side, nearly squashing the teen. Zuko grumbled and moved away from him, back to the creature. Kin gave him a slightly triumphant smile and fell asleep. Growling, Zuko frowned before yawning and settling in, sleeping soundly despite his uncle's loud snores.

* * *

Sorano didn't find the wolf demon in the kitchen so she climbed the stairs to the deck, wrapping a cloak around her shoulders. The bitter cold met her and she grimaced. Hoshi was wrapped up in a blue parka, the tips of his ears tucked into his hat though they were still red. He motioned his head towards the bow, face flushed from the cold.

The witch nodded and approached the wolf demon cautiously. He hadn't been right for a while. She'd often hear him moving around in the middle of the night, restless. "Ookami?"

He didn't respond at first, ears twitching and continuously moving. "I can feel them," he whispered, sounding breathless. His clawed hands tapped against the railing, body moving with a strange energy.

Breathing in, she placed a hand on his shoulder. "I want you to be prepared for whatever we find."

"I will," he remarked almost immediately, twitching.

"They might be dead," she said, watching his reaction.

"They will not be!" Ookami roared, grabbing her by the front of her shirt and holding her level with him. She stayed calm, holding up a hand to keep Hoshi at the wheel. "They're alive!" His eyes dilated, breaths coming in hard and ears pinned back against his head.

The demon calmed slightly, seeing what he was doing. Gently, he set her back down, head in his hands. "Sorry, so sorry," he mumbled. "I haven't seen them for so long."

"Shut up, Wolfie," she whispered. "I'm leaving you charge of our course then. Don't wreck the ship though; I don't want to end up stranded here."

He smiled and grabbed her before she could retreat, hugging her tightly. "Thank you."

"Yeah, yeah," she said, "now let me go before you break my spine."

His laugh was a welcome change from his twitchiness. Ookami released her, smiling as she turned to the battle demon.

"Hoshi! Ookami's in charge of our course! Listen to him, if not, I'll come up here and personally kick your ass."

The demon feigned a hurt expression and cover said ass from her attack. He laughed though and saluted, leaning on the wheel.

She escaped into the hatch, shaking her body to warm up. Now to take care of her stowaways.

* * *

Zuko opened one eye at the feeling of a cold hand on his forehead. His vision blurred before focusing on the witch as the back of her hand moved to his cheek. "Yes?" he asked, a growl evident in his tone.

"You're running a fever," she mumbled.

"Are you sure it's not the living furball next to me?" he grumbled, trying to escape back into sleep.

Her eyes rolled. "Drink this," she responded, handing him a large cup.

Just to prove something, he chugged it, almost choking a little.

And immediately felt his mouth and stomach burn. The witch's hand covered his mouth before he could spit it back up, pinching his nose to force him to swallow. Once he did, she let go and he sputtered, clutching his throat.

"Forgot to tell you it has a bad taste," she said but the smirk was evident.

He glared and carefully examined the next cup she handed him, finding it was only tea. Even though he despised the drink, he swallowed it as nothing was worse than that concoction he had just drunk.

Iroh had almost the same reaction, hitting his chest to help it down. His uncle took the tea graciously and downed it in one gulp as well. "What kind of tea is this, Sorano?" he asked. Leave it to his uncle.

"Mountain White Peony with Scorpion Bee honey," she answered, grinning slightly. "It should help with your colds as well." The witch stood back up, rubbing the Lion Dog's head. "Get some rest. I'm going to see what I can do with your old room."

Zuko gave a stiff nod, yawning again. He waited until the door shut again before checking on his clothes. Finding them dry and warm, he quickly shrugged them on and kicked Kin off of the pallet. Snorting, the Firebender laid back down, feeling drowsy. Iroh was already snoozing away; the Lion Dog curled up near him instead.

After making sure everything looked okay, Zuko finally rested down, focusing on the flame before him. It looked amazingly alive, flickering and changing to shoot flames elsewhere in pipes. He frowned, watching as more fire shot off.

_Houou…_

Phoenix…firebird…

The flame lifted slightly and he saw the shape of a large bird, wings folded gracefully and long, plumed tail swishing. It watched him for a moment before settling back down on the bed of coals, white, glowing eyes closing.

The ship was alive.


	19. Reunion Part 2

No reviews but oh well. This is the second part to the Reunion chapter in all its fine glory…also, quite a bit about Sorano being beaten up. I couldn't help myself, she can be so immature.

For those wishing for some good old character development, don't worry. A new plot twist (I honestly only have like an end to this, not much of the middle so I make it up as I go) will get some characters to change…as soon as I figure out where to put it.

Disclaimer: Hah! Go check to other ones. I'm lazy.

* * *

**Chapter 16 – _Saikai Ippan 2_**

Zuko had been sleeping dreamlessly for a while, enjoying the peace and quiet that accompanied it. The fire was still blazing, the strange bird shape in it disappearing. He swore he had just imagined it and that his fever was to blame. The snores of his uncle and the large beast sounded in rhythm, providing a strange lullaby.

Then everything went to hell.

The fire nearly whisked out as the ship slammed into a stop. Zuko was thrown across the floor and sent rolling, back hitting the furnace. He grunted and pushed onto his hands and knees, shaking his head. Iroh sat up suddenly and the teenager shielded his eyes from his uncle's…unique physique.

Kin was up on his paws, ears pricked up. He let out a bark and raced up the stairs, a slight wind throwing him up faster.

Throwing his uncle's clothes at him, Zuko followed after the large beast while his uncle hurriedly got dressed. The teenager rushed onto the deck, hoping to the Spirits that they weren't being attacked.

"How the hell did we hit an iceberg?"

He sighed and rubbed his temples. Sorano was leaning over the railing, grimacing at the sight of the large gash in her ship. She frowned and tried to find the offending iceberg but to no avail.

His attention turned to the two demons that were both standing nervously by the wheel. Hoshi looked guilty enough but Ookami seemed energized, his ears moving constantly.

Sorano was grumbling about finding some parts to repair the injured ship when Ookami's ears suddenly stopped moving and focused. His head turned, ears pointing straight ahead. The witch stopped her complaining and watched him, brow furrowed. Trembling, the wolf leapt onto the railing, ears focused. His eyes widened and, before anyone could stop him, he just threw himself into the water.

"Ookami!" she screamed, almost throwing herself over the railing in her haste. "Wolfie!"

Zuko watched his form shift in midair, transforming into his namesake. The huge wolf hit the water in a dive, disappearing beneath the frigid water. A blue-gray head lifted up though, paws paddling through the sea.

"Ookami! Get your ass back here! You're going to freeze!" Sorano yelled, swearing when he didn't even turn around. "Kin! Follow him!"

The Lion Dog barked, the wind around him lifting him up. He shook and blasted off after the wolf demon, tail swishing and paws racing.

Without another word, she turned on her heel and moved to disappear down the hatch. Hoshi followed with Zuko in tow.

Unfortunately, Iroh had just made it up and threw his arms into the air as they passed.

The furnace room looked gloomy without the fire but they continued down the steps to the small rowboat. Nezu poked his head down, looking sad and she just smiled. "Just stay here and guard the ship, Nezu. We'll be back when we slap Ookami a few times."

She kicked the boat when they were settled, the thing dying after a few sputters. Frowning, she kicked it harder and grinned in victory when the boat began moving. The small opening grew wider to let them out and shrunk when they drifted into the cold.

Ahead, they watched as Kin helped the wolf out of the water, backing up when he shook the water and ice from his coat. The Lion Dog growled softly but the wolf took off across the ice, forcing the poor beast to follow after him.

"What is he doing?" the sorceress asked herself, frowning as the boat started to die again. "Piece of junk!" she cried out, giving it a swift kick and causing it to just stop altogether. She let out a wordless yell and hit her head against the side of the dead boat.

"Well, that was unexpected," Hoshi remarked, grinning though.

"I bet we don't have any paddles either," Zuko said, smirking at the shake of her head.

Hoshi chuckled slightly and pulled off a board from the boat, handing it to Zuko. He pulled another one off, thankfully not enough to cause a leak, and the two started paddling to the ice.

Sorano pouted slightly, arms crossed as the two smirked at her. "I wonder what it would feel like to shove the two of you into the water," she grumbled.

The battle demon laughed as they neared the ice, shifting the boat to pull up to the side of it. Sorano climbed out, helping Iroh onto the ice as her feet slipped a little. Both Zuko and Hoshi climbed up, dragging the boat onto the frozen water to make sure it didn't drift away. The four stood still, wondering where the two had run off to.

"I think they went straight ahead," Hoshi said, his long ears trying to catch the faintest noise.

"Good as any direction."

The four took careful steps on the ice as they tried to find either the Lion Dog or the frantic wolf demon. After a few minutes, they found paw prints in the light snow, making it a lot easier to track the two down.

"Why would he run off like that?" Zuko asked, nearly slipping on a wet spot of ice.

"Well," Sorano began, worrying her lower lip, "during his slight dead state on the full moon, he said he saw his mate and his kids somewhere in the ice and snow. I left him in charge of our course which explains why we're still in this freezing snow." She kicked a pile of it for emphasis, finding out that her pile was actually a block of ice. While she hopped and hobbled, the three males laughed, Hoshi the loudest. Frowning, she raised her leg, catching Zuko in the small of his back. It was easy enough to send him face first into the snow and ice as he tried to catch himself but his hand slipped. Sorano laughed and ended up stepping on a particularly slick spot, landing flat on her back.

About ten minutes later, the youngest two of the group were both covered in ice and snow, frowning at each other while the older two grinned. Sorano grumbled something and Zuko tackled her, sending them both into the snow again.

"Kids," Iroh said, shaking his head.

"What are you gonna do with'em?" Hoshi replied with a laugh.

The two were still rolling in the snow, Sorano having the Firebender pinned. "Ha!" She grinned but went face first into another hill as Zuko flipped her over. Sputtering, she growled and rolled as she tried to throw the teen off of her.

"Ow! That's not fair!" Zuko yelled as she grabbed him by his topknot.

"Girls fight dirty. I thought you knew," she laughed, holding him still.

"Kids!" Iroh and Hoshi called out, struggling not to laugh at the two.

Zuko sent her off of him and the two went rolling down a steep hill, snow catching and clinging to them. Growling, she flipped them, holding his head down but pausing. He looked up, blinking in surprise at the sight of the two sitting incredibly still.

Kin was ducking down behind a large hill of snow, looking back at them. Ookami was back in his humanoid form, sitting so still they thought he was frozen. Then an ear twitched and the two forgot about their small fight and slowly approached him.

"Ookami?" she asked, brows furrowing as he didn't respond. She turned and her own eyes widened at the small, undisturbed scene.

Two small demons were playing in the snow, laughing while throwing snowballs at each other. They were both adorable, pointed ears twitching as they ducked behind small mounds of packed snow. It was slightly strange to just see two of them playing happily in the snow by themselves.

Even stranger was that the bigger of the two looked almost exactly like Ookami.

Suddenly, the two demons stopped their play, both heads turning to look at the small group watching them. Both let out a small cry and ran, tails swishing behind them.

"Mika! Mika!" they screamed, tripping over themselves as they ran towards what looked like a rock cave.

Ookami moved from behind the snow, his ears trained straight ahead as something emerged from the cave, black hair tied back and claws ready to attack. She growled a warning at the intruders, gold eyes watching the demon step forward. Her warning went unheeded as he continued to move closer.

"Stay back!" she called out, snarling.

"Mika?" he asked weakly, watching the demon stiffened.

"How do you know that?" she yelled, fangs bared.

"Besides the fact that the kids ran screaming that," Sorano muttered and was shushed by Iroh and Hoshi.

Instead of replying, the wolf demon dug through his coat and pulled out a small toy, hands shaking as he held it up for her to see. She stared at the doll that hung limply from the demon's hand, eyes widening. Her gaze turned back to the wolf demon, now looking so familiar, the wind teasing his blue-gray hair.

"Dad!" she cried out, dropping her fighting stance and running towards him. Ookami dropped to his knees, catching his daughter and holding onto her.

"Mika," he whispered, ears pinned back against his head. The wolf nuzzled his daughter, kissing her forehead. "Mika, oh Gods, Mika."

"Dad!"

Something else tackled him from the side, white hair covering the newcomer's face.

"Taro," he mumbled, holding onto the two children as though they were an anchor.

His ears twitched and he looked up, eyes focusing on the figure standing several yards away. Gold eyes watched him as she held onto the shoulders of the two boys. Disbelief passed over her features, white hair blowing back in the wind.

The recognition of mates between them, Ookami letting his children go as the dog demon rushed to greet him. The two went sprawling as she jumped at him, the wolf catching her and holding on.

"Aw," Sorano breathed out, earning a hard elbow to her ribs from Hoshi. "Ow!"

"Takara," he groaned, holding her close. She kissed him hard, keeping the wolf pinned beneath her. Everything was lost to them except their significant other, primal instinct taking over.

The two older siblings blinked in surprise as the group moved a little closer, Zuko's eyes a little wider than they should have been. Sometime during the few moments that the large gathering was watching the display of emotion between the two demons, the younger children had moved over to them.

"Ew, what are they doing?" the smaller one asked, gold eyes looking up to his sister.

"Maybe we should let them get," Hoshi cleared his throat for a moment, "reacquainted."

"Aw," Sorano muttered, earning a smack upside her head from both Iroh and the battle demon. She clutched the back of her head. "Son of a…" Another slap to her head shut her mouth before she swore.

"Let's go back to ship and leave them in peace," Hoshi said a little more forcefully, grabbing the witch by her ear. Zuko was about to laugh but Iroh grabbed his ear and dragged him painfully. "While we're there, we can tell embarrassing stories of your father."

That sparked the demons' interest as they followed the strange crew, smiling at the plight of the younger members.

* * *

Ookami turned his head, watching the dark shapes move away. He grinned, hearing the loud protests of the witch. Silently, he thanked Hoshi for his consideration and turned back to his mate. She watched him with watery eyes, refusing to let go of his coat as though he might be lost forever if she did.

"It's all right," he whispered, reminding himself of her. "They'll be fine."

Takara buried her face into his neck, mumbling something low. The wolf demon held her tightly, whispering to calm her. "I'm not leaving you again, I promise."

A cold wind blew past them, reminding them of their slightly awkward position.

"I think we should move," she remarked, eyes suddenly glowing with an idea. Takara slipped out of her mate's arms, dashing into the cave before he could blink.

He grinned, climbing to his feet before chasing after her.

Ookami hoped the kids would be all right for about six hours.


	20. Father and Son

Woohoo! Christmas is soon! Thanks to the break I can write more. Thing was, I was on vacation and wanted to put this up before I left but it wasn't finished. So now it is and is up! Yay!

Thanks to My Silver Wound for reviewing! Don't worry, Nezu has a much bigger part in the next few chapters (which can also be a bad thing).

Yes! After this chapter we finally see some Avatar!

Disclaimer: Check the others.

* * *

**Chapter 17 – _Fushi_**

Sorano watched the battle demon, smiling at his antics. The large group was gathered in the mess area, the four demon kids were watching him in awe as he told the promised stories. Well, all but the small, white haired twin named Ronin. He looked almost mad, glaring at his brothers and sister. She was still trying to understand why though.

Zuko sat down on a chair next to her, raising an eyebrow at the sleeping rat demon curled up in her lap. She just smiled, patting Nezu as he shifted slightly.

"It's past his bedtime," the witch whispered, scratching behind a round ear. He let out a slight purring noise that had Zuko blinking in surprise. He hadn't really noticed it but the rat demon did have incredibly childish features.

"How old is he?" he found himself asking.

"I don't know," she mumbled. "Probably a little older than those twins." She smiled as he snuggled in closer to her. "He's an incredible sweetheart though."

For some strange reason, they had come back to the ship to find part of the huge gash filled in already. The ship itself had pulled in close to the ice, the little demon watching them from the upper deck of the _Houou_. Nezu and she had managed to make sure they didn't spring any leaks until they got into the next port. He had helped, disappearing and reappearing with tools or spare parts.

It went quiet and Zuko turned around to find the large wolf demon, hand in hand with his mate. Hoshi just grinned, finding ways to pick at this until Ookami nearly killed him from embarrassment.

Mika's eyes lit up and Ookami actually felt the strange humor radiating off his children. He cleared his throat and turned to glare at the battle demon.

"What?" he asked, fangs bared.

"Dad," the girl began, looking at her brother.

"We didn't know you were bested by a kid," he finished, grinning widely.

"Hoshi!" the wolf roared, growling.

The battle demon laughed loudly, taking the cushion thrown at him lightly. He smiled to himself as Ookami held his head in his hand while Takara struggled not to laugh.

"It couldn't have been that bad," she soothed, her voice soft.

"Yeah, Wolfie. At least you could say she was a powerful witch," Sorano put in.

"You're not helping," he grumbled.

Suddenly, Ronin stood up, glaring at the wolf demon. He stormed out; seemingly mad at the world and everything in it.

Takara sighed and made to follow out after him but Ookami grabbed her arm, holding her back.

"Maybe I should talk to him," he said, following after the hybrid.

"I should put Nezu to bed," Sorano said to clear the silence, lifting the demon up. He groaned and wrapped his arms around her neck, curling up tighter. She shook her head and carried him out, making sure to shift her balance to keep from falling down the stairs.

The witch bumped open his door, ducking her head for the low ceiling. She laid him down on his little bed, tucking him in as he whined. "Good night, sweetheart," she whispered, brushing back his brown hair.

Sorano didn't understand why but she felt drawn to the small demon, as though she shouldn't leave him alone. She took in a breath and closed the door behind her, forcing the feeling away.

* * *

Ookami stepped out onto the deck, finding the young demon standing not too far away. He moved to stand right next to his son, leaning on the railing and gazing up at the half moon. His son continued to stare off into the miles of water and ice.

"What do you want?" he asked coldly, turning his eyes to the larger wolf.

"I'm sorry I haven't been there for you since you've been born," the wolf whispered, head hanging as the boy's critical eyes followed him. "I've tried to find you, I swear. It hasn't been easy."

"You could've tried harder!" he yelled, body tensing. The gold eyes darken to deep amber and Ookami could feel his dagger trembling at his side. "You had thirty years to find us! And you didn't!" His yells turned into screams, his own power spiraling out of control. The dagger from Ookami's side flew through the air, embedding into the ship. "You've never cared! You didn't care about us! You heartless bastard!"

Surprised, he let the child rant and vent his anger, gently brushing the huge shield of power to keep it under control. Several knives and daggers had appeared, some from hidden areas on the ship and kitchen and a couple from the child himself.

The small demon fell to his knees, panting heavily as his energy faded. His father knelt down, laying a hand on his shoulder, only to have it brushed off. Ookami sighed softly and just watched as the boy caught his breath. Then, something wet hit the deck, a stronger smell of salt reaching his sensitive nose. His breathing wasn't any better and he let himself smile.

"Ronin," he whispered, again having his hand brushed off. "Ronin, listen."

"I don't wanna!" he cried, teeth gritted. "I don't wanna listen to you!"

He grabbed his son, holding tightly even as the boy struggled. "Ronin, it's okay. I'm sorry I haven't been here for you. I promise I'll be here more, I promise."

The small demon whimpered, succumbing to his sudden feeling of safety. Ookami cradled his child, rocking him on the deck. An intertwining happened as the two learned about the other, Ookami trying to be the father that his son had missed. The wolf listened to him, not budging when the other twin, Miki, curled up with him as well. The two learned more of their father than their mother could ever tell them on her good days or from their sister's stories.

The half moon in the sky glowed brilliantly, almost looking full once again.

* * *

Ookami stood with his family, watching the witch as she grinned. "What is it?" he asked, slightly nervous at her continuous grin.

"Well," she said, "since we've found your family and all and technically, your promise is fulfilled."

"That's true," he replied, watching her as she grinned wider.

"So, I was really hoping that you'd stick around for a while longer with everyone! Besides, we've never had such a good cook," she mumbled, twiddling her fingers.

"I've been your only cook," he said, but the light in his eyes teased her. "My old room won't hold us all."

"Which is why I've taken the liberty of getting one to hold all of you!" she cheered, apparently happy with her idea. Sorano took a step back, revealing the new, unmarked door across the hall from the kitchen. He raised an eyebrow but decided to at least humor her. She opened the door, allowing the six to proceed into the new room.

The witch had outdone herself this time. The first room was like a sitting room, high cave-like walls with several chairs that he recognized from the mess area thrown in. A couple of rugs lied scattered on the floor along with a slight dent in the wall that he recognized for a fireplace.

Immediately the kids ran off, exploring the den-like room. He heard his daughter call out her room and the groans of her brothers soon followed. The twins ran by, securing a much larger room that had been meant for the two to share across the hall.

He moved forward, opening the straight ahead and gasped at the find. A much larger room, complete with a huge pallet for both of them, revealed itself. Takara gasped as she examined the room, almost wondering why anyone would do this much for people she barely knew.

"Sorano," he whispered in awe.

"I know, I know," she grumbled. "I thought a little bribe would work and well, it wouldn't be the same without you, Wolfie."

She was completely taken aback by the hug she was pulled into by the wolf. Even more surprising was when the dog demon also hugged her.

"So?" the witch asked, giving the two a large smile.

"We'll have to think about it," Ookami answered her, smirking when her smile disappeared.

"All right." She yawned widely and waved. "I'm going to bed." Sorano showed herself out, not before catching the slight glint in the two mates' eyes. "Don't keep us up all night though!" she called out, shutting the new door.

* * *

Zuko once again woke up to the feeling of something cold on his forehead. "Why do you insist on waking me up?" he growled, squeezing his eyes shut.

"Well, I'm sorry for caring about your well being," she mumbled. Her smile reappeared though as she handed him the burning medicine. "Drink," she prodded.

He glared but grabbed it and swallowed the crap painfully. The Firebender snatched the tea she offered, gulping it down to rid himself of the awful taste.

"Aw, what a good boy," she teased, ducking as he let loose a stream of fire at her.

"You're testing my patience, witch," he growled, lying back on the bed as the room started to spin.

"Come on now. Iroh isn't as bad as you," she teased, dodging the swipe from him. "He actually thanks me." She chuckled when he just frowned and sulked with his back to her.

The last thing he wanted to do was hurt a witch that could send him flying into the ocean with a wave of her hand. Or at least he thought she could do that. "Idiot witch and her demons," he growled.

Something happened, Zuko wasn't completely sure what happened himself, but he ended up face first on the floor. Confused and slightly dazed, he instinctively rolled onto his hands and knees.

"You can insult me all you want! But you can't insult the demons behind their backs!"

* * *

Ookami's ear twitched and he paused slightly, listening.

"What is it?" Takara asked, watching him as he just chuckled.

"Zuko and Sorano are _bonding_," he laughed. A loud crash echoed and then the yelling escalated.

"Should we stop them?" she asked, looking perplexed when he shook his head.

"No, she won't kill him and he won't kill her. Or at least I think he won't kill her."

* * *

Zuko listened to her muffled yells at him as he sighed. At the moment, he had her pinned by sitting on her back with her head pushed into the pillow. Her arms were firmly restrained with one hand but it didn't help the thrashing she was doing. He wouldn't hold her there long enough for her to die of suffocation, no matter how much that sounded like a good idea. "What was that?"

"Get off of me you insolent, arrogant!"

The Firebender shoved her back into the pillow, cutting her yell off. He waited patiently until she finally calmed down before letting her back up.

"Bastard." She finally bucked him off and brushed her clothes off.

"Yeah, and this bastard is tired. Get out." He reset his bed and fell into it, not caring if she was gone or not.

Her eyes rolled and she mimicked him slightly, ducking at the roar from him to leave. Sorano scurried out as he jumped up and slammed the door shut. Smiling, she found her work done and went back to her own bed to sleep for a long while.


	21. Sickness

A special Christmas present to all! A longer chapter! Wow, what a present! And another, a site made by me for this story! It includes character designs and summaries for every chapter and links to them all as well as the next chapter summaries. Go check it out through the profile page!

No new reviews but oh well! Please enjoy!

Disclaimer: Go read the others.

* * *

**Chapter 18 – _Byoukan_**

Zuko sat and watched with faint amusement as Sorano and Hoshi struggled to get the boat to dock. It seemed to be resisting, though he wasn't sure how that was possible. Several perplexed bystanders were watching as the witch yelled at the ship, kicking it and basically fuming. Hoshi was fighting the wheel as it seemed to want to spin out of control.

Then, as strangely as it started, it stopped and Hoshi nearly fell on his face from the sudden give. The _Houou_ moved easily into the port and seemed to sigh as it rested in the docking area.

Sorano stared at the ship, at the port, then back at the ship. A strange growl of frustration left her throat as she threw her hands into the air.

Iroh looked relieved that they had found a port, especially one with a lot of merchant stalls. As soon as the crew got the boat settled in, he was off and browsing through the port.

Sighing, Sorano shook her head. "Nezu!"

In a pop of displaced air, the little rat demon appeared. His dress was more of an apprentice look, a rough looking yukata that had seen better days. A messenger bag hung from one shoulder and rested on his hip. The famous cloak was wrapped around his shoulders, disguising his demonic features. He looked eager to do something.

"Go follow Iroh and try to control what he buys. See if you can find any supplies we need as well," she said, rubbing his brown hair.

He nodded and ran down the plank, disappearing into the crowd.

"Does he have any money?" asked Zuko, trying to spot his uncle.

"That's a good question. If he comes back with junk, then yes, he did," she answered.

Zuko chuckled, hoping his uncle wouldn't bring any of the stuff he usually brought in.

"Well come on!" the witch cheered. "We've got to get set up for the customers!"

His mood dropped as he groaned loudly in protest.

"Hey! You have to work to live on this ship now, Zuko!" she yelled.

* * *

"How come there aren't any medics in this stupid town!" Sokka groaned, trying to curb his frustration. He was about to kick a stone when he remembered what happened the last time. The Water Tribe warrior just glared at the offending stone while trying to think.

"Come on, Sokka. I'm sure there's a medic somewhere around here," the Avatar claimed, his optimism shining.

The two stopped and stared around at the port, looking from sign to sign. It was just a few days ago when they found something wrong…

* * *

"_Katara? Katara!" Aang screamed, shaking her._

_The Waterbender groaned, eyes trying to open and focus on him. "What?" she asked, trying to stay with the caring gaze of him._

_He was at a loss on what was going on. She had a high fever; her breathing was slow, almost painful gasps. Aang kept a hold on her, scared that if he let go she would slip away. This was not something he could help with fighting._

"_What's taking so long?" Sokka asked, stepping off of Appa and gasping at his sister's state. "Katara! Katara!"_

_Aang just watched helplessly as she passed out suddenly, body shaking from strain. The brother held her close, trying to cure her himself._

* * *

The Avatar looked around for a fourth time before spotting something caught his eye. "Hey, Sokka."

"What? Did you find a doctor?" he asked, the overprotective brother staring at him hopefully.

"No, but isn't that the guy that Zuko's always with?" he questioned the older boy, pointing to the gray haired man browsing through the merchant stalls.

"If he's here, then that means that Zuko's here! We have to leave!" he cried out, grabbing Aang's sleeve and tugging.

Aang pulled the warrior back, determination written on his face. "Sokka! We have to find a doctor for Katara! She might not last another day!" He watched the fight in the teenager's face, seeing the protection he needed to provide and felt obligated to give and the concern for his sister's wellbeing.

"All right. We'll have to stay out of his way then," he gave in.

He beamed and the two strayed far away from the old man, sighing as they could find no sign of a medic or healer or anything. The two were about to just pack up and move to the next town, hoping Katara could last another day when it seemed luck was with them.

"Yeah, I'm an apprentice for a witch who docked here this morning. She's selling all sorts of spells and charms for people at the harbor."

Both boys turned at the voice, finding a young kid putting a bag of fruit in a messenger bag.

"She's really amazing. Well, thanks for the fruit!" he said cheerfully, slinging the bag over his shoulder and running past the two.

Aang watched him as the child jumped into the air, head turning to look at the Avatar. Gold eyes caught gray as the two seemed frozen in time. The boy felt the slight power radiating off the child and could actually _feel_ the demon inside of him.

Then time sped up and seemed to move faster as the kid scampered off, diving into the crowd and vanishing from sight.

"Well, we could go check out the witch. Maybe she can help. Right, Aang? Aang?" Sokka asked, waving a hand in front of the boy's dazed expression. "Are you okay?"

"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine, Sokka," he answered, giving the teen a smile. "Let's go see."

Sokka gave him a strange look but just shrugged. "Okay. Well, let's go."

Aang turned back to find the demon hiding as a child, feeling that something big was about to happen.

* * *

Zuko leaned against the wall of the upper deck, sulking silently. While Iroh was out and enjoying himself, he had to listen to the woes of the people of this forsaken town.

Damn did his uncle have it good.

Luckily, it appeared that there weren't very many people here to assist and the ship was done around noon. Ookami's kids had helped out but still. Sorano considered closing up for the day and leaving as soon as Nezu and Iroh managed to get back. She had vanished below deck to deal with some unfinished projects as the crew began taking down their work.

Then the Spirits decided to have fun and let hell break loose.

The first thing Zuko saw was the bright orange and yellow of the Avatar's clothing, followed by the blues of the stupid boy that tagged around with him. He briefly wondered where the girl was before the two spotted him. Time seemed to freeze for a moment as the three stared at each other.

He barely blocked the sudden attack from the warrior, wincing as he caught sight of the knife. Zuko growled, letting the Water Tribe boy get a face full of fire as he tried to charge again. The Firebender tried to kick the teen away, ending up missing and getting a punch to the jaw. _Was he getting better?_

The fight ended shortly though, Zuko finding himself off his feet with his toes barely touching the ground. A hand was at his throat, holding him up along with the Water Tribe boy. He was careful not to move unlike his rival who was struggling hard but not getting anywhere. Hoshi cocked an eyebrow at the two, keeping them separated and gazing back at the newcomer's companion. The boy was looking around as though desperate to find an answer to the predicament.

"What the hell?"

Sorano appeared out of the hatch, frowning and looking pissed. She glanced from the bald kid to the demon holding the two immobilized off the ground. The witch processed what had happened, recognizing the Airbending tattoos on the kid's body.

"Well, now. I see we have some guests. I'd welcome both of you but it seems Hoshi and Zuko have already done that," she said, a slight smile curling at her mouth.

"He started it," Zuko grumbled, trying to keep his breathing calm. He didn't dare attack the battle demon without wanting to lose his life.

"Shut it. Now then, let me guess. Our new friends attacked you, you blocked, and Hoshi now has you both in a very messy hold." She stepped up close, moving around to face the two without the demon's large build to get in the way. "Zuko, I expect nothing from you but if you attack these two, I will have to let them deal with you. Just do it somewhere off my ship."

She turned to the Water Tribe teen, taking in his appearance as he froze, finding that the demon could actually kill him without a worry. "You now. You will not come onto my ship and attack anyone, be it Fire Nation or otherwise. This is a neutral territory. If you ever do that again, I will deal with you myself. Then, I will give what's left of you to the rest of the crew to do with as they please, _if_ there is anything left."

Her warning was well received and the poor teen nodded quickly, gulping at her intense stare.

"All right!" she chirped, mood changing suddenly. "Hoshi, let them go."

The demon set the two males down, releasing their throats. Both rubbed their aching necks, not facing the other and almost pouting.

"Now then," Sorano whirled to face the young monk, grinning. "What unfortunate thing has fallen that the Avatar and his friend must grace my ship?" she asked, bowing to him.

Aang has no idea if that was an insult or a compliment but ignored that at the moment. "My friend is sick. We don't know what to do. She has a healing power but it doesn't look like it's been doing anything."

"Let me guess," the witch interrupted. "She's a Waterbender with an infection not from a cut and she's not advanced enough in her healing to deal with it?"

"Uh, I guess," he replied.

"What are her symptoms?"

The two boys looked at each other, before Sokka shrugged. "Well, she's got a fever; she's been throwing up everywhere."

"She's been complaining that she hurts all over," Aang added. "And sometimes when she wakes up, she's confused or something."

Sorano nodded and started towards the hatch. "It sounds like a common disease transmitted by mosquitoes. I'll get her something to help. Anything strange that I should know about?" she asked.

"Well, there is that huge sunburn thing on her back. Though I don't understand how she got it, her shirt hasn't been off for that long," Sokka whined, relieved that his sister's illness wasn't serious.

Zuko was watching the witch and saw her stop with one foot on the first stair, freezing. She turned to face the two companions, immediately serious all of a sudden. He could feel the thinking she was doing as she tried to piece the new information together.

"How long has she been like this?" she asked, scaring the two now.

"Three days I think," Aang finally responded.

"Shit!" she yelled, suddenly springing to life. Frantically, she paced, almost struggling to think.

"What?" Sokka asked, frightened at her panic. "What is it? What's wrong with my sister?"

Iroh took that time to step on board; looking relaxed with poor Nezu stumbling behind him with – _was that another monkey statue_?

"Nezu!" the witch yelled, causing the rat demon to drop the huge thing. Luckily, it didn't break. "We need any medical supplies to fight toxic shock syndrome! Wake Kin up, he's asleep in the furnace room."

He nodded immediately, disappearing instantly. Iroh looked back and forth between the crew before heading down the hatch.

Kin was up on deck before Nezu, yawning widely and showing off six sharp fangs. Aang nearly had a heart attack on seeing the huge beast.

"Lion Dog!" he yelled, running up and tackling the huge beast. Kin rolled on his back, tongue lolling out of his huge jaw as Aang rubbed his belly. The Lion Dog's leg began to twitch as his attention increased.

Nezu popped into place, rat ears visible which had Sokka yelling in surprise.

"Avatar, lead these two to where your friend is. Nezu, stabilize her and get her as comfortable as possible," Sorano ordered. "We'll meet you shortly."

Kin groaned as his attention disappeared and rolled over, shaking his thick coat. The small demon climbed on his back, slightly surprised when Aang just leapt up and perched on the beast.

"You follow the kid's orders now, Kin," she warned, getting what appeared to be an eye roll from the creature.

The wind shifted, curling up under him. He did a small jump, letting the air hold him before shooting off towards the town. They heard Nezu squeal in surprise before the gray figure took a sudden right and disappeared.

"You," she pointed at Sokka. "We need to get there fast."

Sokka looked completely confused but did as the witch said. "Uh, follow me."

* * *

Katara moaned, opening her eyes as she heard voices. Her eyes managed to focus on Aang as he started talking but she couldn't understand a word he said.

Then the strange creature was in her vision, telling her to relax and tell him what hurt. She gave him a confused look but managed to mumble "everything." He nodded, pulling out a strange instrument and laid it across her forehead.

His nose started to work, trying to figure out where the infection had started. Nezu stopped near her throat, frowning. "Has she had a sore throat lately?" she asked the bald kid behind him.

"Uh," he mumbled, rubbing his chin in thought. "I think she had one a week ago."

He nodded, sensitive nose flaring. "It probably entered through her sore throat. We'll have to let Sorano look at her first though."

"Already here, Nezu," she called out, stepping over a bush and falling on her back as her shirt caught a branch. The forest was being a bitch.

Zuko and Sokka were glaring at each other, Zuko only with her in case the overzealous Water Tribe boy tried to attack her. He held back a chuckle as she fell, glancing over at the sick girl. _What was her name?_

"So, is it toxic shock?" she asked as she got up, moving to kneel besides the ill teen.

"Smells like it," the rat demon squeaked. "The infection is concentrated around her throat. Probably snuck in during a sore throat."

"Excellent conclusion, Nezu," she said with a smile.

He watched the demon beam with the compliment, somewhat surprised that Sorano gave time to teach him any of this medical stuff.

"So, how do we go about this?" Sorano asked, checking the instrument and frowning.

Humming, the rat demon's face took on a thoughtful expression before he answered. "A dose of Kelpie Weeds to the infected site should begin clearing up any new stages. Regular doses of Kelpie Weeds after that to kill off any other stages should help."

The pride in the witch's eyes surprised the Firebender to no end. What could it be that made the rat demon different that she taught him like an apprentice?

"Let's get it ready."

The two worked in unison, drawing the three males surrounding them to watch. Feelings of hatred passed, violent tensions faded. The only thing that remained was the awe the three felt as the two moved without talking, helping the ill Water Tribe teen. Sorano managed to open the girl's mouth, letting Nezu to use what looked like a swab to coat the back of her throat with the strange green gunk. Katara coughed, making the demon wrinkle his nose.

"That should be enough," she whispered, letting her close her mouth. Nezu stepped back, placing everything back in his bag as the two packed up. Sorano picked up a large jar, filling it to the brim with the green slop. "Make her eat a fourth of this jar today. Try and make it in several portions to control the infection. Give her another fourth tomorrow and then the last half the next day."

Aang took the jar, wrinkling his nose at the smell. "Are you sure?"

"If I wasn't, I'd be eating it myself." She laughed and waved. "Come get me if her condition doesn't improve. We're staying in port for some time now seeing as I bet your uncle would like to shop some more." She glanced back at Zuko, grinning at his frown.

"He'll sink the ship with all of his junk," he muttered.

The two boys were confused. Zuko seemed…civilized for once. He wasn't trying to attack them. "Is he sick?" Sokka whispered.

Sorano burst out laughing while Zuko glared at them. "Zuko's under orders to not do anything to destroy the world."

"One day, witch. You're going to wake up dead," he growled.

Her laughter didn't help him and he stomped over to where the three animals were gazing at each other. Kin looked at him for a moment before licking him from chin to forehead. While Zuko sputtered and threatened him, the four laughed harder. He glared daggers at them, wishing that he could go ahead and kill them all. Well, all except for the Avatar.

Nezu smirked, glancing around at the strange group. It was funny how nations could get along when the past was forgotten.

Why couldn't humans and demons live in peace?

Or better yet, why couldn't demons cooperate long enough to get along with their own kind?


	22. Unicorn

Still no new reviews. Oh well. Sorry for the long wait. I've been rushed everywhere and have suffered some writer's block.

Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Nope, I own nothing of _Avatar_.

* * *

**Chapter 19 -_ Kirin_**

Three days of watching his uncle shop for junk, the last two trips he had been bribed to go. Zuko grumbled as he shifted a bag filled to the brim with different kinds of tea. The smell was making his head spin and he was going to slowly kill his uncle for this torture.

Sorano hadn't been much help either. She spent most of her time working on requests or other projects such as replanting saplings in her arboretum. Every time he tried to find an excuse to not go with his uncle, she shot it down and set it on fire.

He was really tempted to push her overboard.

There was movement to his left, his scar obscuring his vision on that side slightly. He turned his head, catching sight of bright yellows and orange and two very big green eyes.

"Hey, Zuko!" Aang said, completely oblivious to the growl he received.

"Just because the stupid witch helped you, that does not mean I'm not your enemy," the teenager snarled, his temper getting the best of him.

"Zuko, control your temper," Iroh warned while looking at _perfume? What was he going to do with perfume?_

He fell to glaring at everything, leaning back when the stupid animal on the Avatar's head kept staring at him. "What?"

"Oh, Momo's just curious," he replied, scratching the lemur under the chin.

"Trust me, if I had any way to get you off of this rock and to the Fire Nation, I would," Zuko warned.

"Yeah, I know," Aang agreed immediately, sounding almost as if he didn't care. The lemur purred and suddenly jumped onto Zuko's shoulder, nuzzling his neck. The soft fur was disturbing to the Firebender who flinched and tried unsuccessfully to get the creature off of him.

Aang laughed and plucked the lemur off of the growling teen. "We were wondering if the witch was still around to thank her. Katara's doing great now!"

"She better be. If not, I will kill her." Zuko growled as his uncle warned him again. The entire world was against him.

Luckily, Iroh began heading back to the ship. Unfortunately, the Avatar stayed with them, following them like a lost puppy. He kept trying to make a friendly conversation but it seemed that Zuko would have none of it. Iroh joined him though and Aang forgot all about Zuko's silent stubbornness.

Zuko shoved Iroh's stuff to him and began to head straight to his room when Hoshi called out. Either the demon didn't notice the glare or did and refused to back off was to be questioned.

"Sorano's down in the furnace room. Will you take him there?" Hoshi just grinned as the Firebender glared daggers but he nodded.

* * *

Sorano was staring at the fire in the furnace when she heard footsteps. She didn't move, eyes searching the flames as the footsteps grew nearer and finally stopped behind her. The fire shrunk back slightly, huddling near the back of the furnace.

"Hello, Avatar. Hey, Zuko."

Zuko frowned at her greeting and stared at the strange fire. It felt odd, almost as though it was sick. That couldn't be though, fire wasn't alive.

Aang stared at the flames for a moment longer before bowing awkwardly. It was as though he couldn't decide who to bow to; the fire or the witch. "Thank you for your help. Katara's doing much better."

"She'll be glad we caught it in time. Any longer and she'd be dead." Her attention was focused on the fire, almost as though it was talking to her.

"We don't have any money but we'd like to repay you any way we can," he said, still staring at the flames as it shuffled nearer.

Zuko watched, almost hearing a strange hissing sound filling the room. He frowned, trying to find the noise's source. It seemed to be coming from every nook and cranny. The Avatar was tensing up as though there was a huge, powerful creature in the room with them.

"Actually, there is something you can help me with," the witch said calmly.

The fire flared brightly, shooting flames through the pipes. Aang backed away nervously, staring wide-eyed at the flames. The strange form appeared, twirling its tails and gazing at the group with white eyes. Hisses filled the room, sounding forlorn and melancholy.

"Something bad is going to happen. I need to know what."

* * *

He watched as Sorano knelt behind a bush, rope in hand. Confusion was a very evident feeling passing through the humans as he watched the two Water Tribe members also kneeling behind another bush. Zuko could feel rather than hear or see the wolf demon's family gathered around the area, each in their respective animal forms. Hoshi was somewhere with a coil of chains.

Still as a board, Aang stood in the middle of a clearing, glancing nervously around him. He still didn't properly understand what he was supposed to do. Sorano had been skimpy with details, like always. All he knew was to stand here and greet the first thing that walked up to him.

They had been sitting out here for at least two hours before Zuko heard anything. Or rather, all noise ceased to exist. The birds silenced, his breathing seemed to fade into a void. Everything became still and he couldn't remember a time when it was so peaceful.

Something moved near the entrance to the clearing, stepping forward to meet the Airbender. Aang blinked in surprise at the beast, gazing up at him.

It wasn't very tall, maybe a little smaller than Kin and a dark brown color. Strangely, it looked incredibly deer-like with a thin body and elongated neck. Thin legs supported its weight which appeared to be mostly hair as it hung off its body. Its face was blunter than a deer's with a mane than ran along its nape and two long ears twitching. A lion's tail twitched, almost floating in mid-air behind it. Scales covered its legs, the front ones ending in small, split hooves while the back ones were more like dragon's feet.

Though the most eye-catching detail was the long, single horn jutting out from its brow, curving up at the tip.

He held in his gasp as he realized he was looking upon a real, live unicorn. This wasn't a statue in the courts that flanked the entrance to a garden nor was it a story. This was an honest to Spirit, living, breathing qilin.

And that's when everything fell into place.

Sorano was first, throwing a lasso at the creature as it was entirely focused on Aang. She missed the head but managed to hook the rope around its single horn. Immediately, the unicorn reared up, hooves thrashing in the air. It turned to run but found its exit caught off by a large wolf and several others circling it.

Another rope wrapped around its back leg, holding it still for a split second as Sorano's rope slid off its horn. She reeled it back it and threw again, this time letting it slip over its head. The beast thrashed violently, whinnying and roaring, flames erupting everywhere. Zuko controlled the flames, bending them away from the witch as she struggled to hold the qilin down.

Chains fell from the forest canopy, sliding over the unicorn's head easily. Hoshi pulled, getting the welded metal to tighten before he jumped to the ground. The battle demon wrapped the chains around his forearms, muscles straining as he held the beast still.

Then, all of a sudden, it stopped and stood still, breathing hard from its struggle. Its ears twitched as it threw his head about, cutting through the ropes restraining its neck.

Sorano began to approach it, bowing carefully as Aang shook next to her.

"_Was all of this really necessary, sorceress?"_

The voice boomed in the clearing, as though its source was everywhere. The unicorn grunted audibly and shook his head. Well, he appeared to be male from the voice and the hair around his hind legs grew in the opposite direction and hung down.

"It was if I was going to catch you. You're the hardest one to catch, let alone see," she replied, giving him it seemed another bow.

Zuko moved to stand near her, gazing at this fantastic creature. He was much different than the unicorn statues seen around the Fire Nation court. The ones in the Fire Nation supposedly had great, dragon heads and all four feet were hoofed. This one appeared more graceful though less fierce.

"_What do you want then? You did not capture me for a nice chat."_ He glared at her, ears twitching and eyes boring holes into her skull.

"Well, this explains why there's no doctor. But yes, I have a very important question for the Protector of Jing-Bao village. Something's supposed to happen. Something bad. I want to know what." Sorano watched the creature as he seemed to bow.

"_That is not something I do often, sorceress,"_ he replied, ears moving about him. _"I also do not answer prophecies to mere mortals."_

She glanced at Aang who was just staring at the qilin.

"Uh, right!" he said, moving closer and also bowing to the unicorn. "It would help me on my quest to defeat the Fire Lord -" Zuko snorted at that – "and to keep innocent people safe. Please, help us."

He shifted, one hoof rising before he stomped loudly. Everything seemed to freeze as time slowed down, leaves falling so slowly they could see every detail as it detached itself from the tree. The qilin's eyes glazed over, head drooped to where it almost touched the ground.

"_The tempest will claim two, sending them on a journey to test their trust, one will begin to fall but the other shall overcome it. Terrible times remain, allies trusted, enemies made. Tread carefully on fallen ground. Keep faith in those that you trust and they will keep faith in you."_

His head snapped back up and he whinnied lowly. _"I gave you what you wanted. Let me go."_

She nodded to Hoshi who relaxed his hold on the chains. The unicorn shook his head, throwing the chains off. His mane ruffled and his back leg moved up, scratching around his neck where the chains had been. He turned to Zuko, snorting loudly.

"_If you see my Fire relatives, tell them they can come here if they want. The Fire Nation is too corrupt for them to live there."_

Then he reared up, flames dancing from his breath. He took off running, the family let him pass as he disappeared into the forest. His whinny was loud and clear and then completely stopped.

Birds began to chirp and a squirrel raced by. Zuko just stared at the sudden movements around them that had been gone for so long.

The grass around them where the creature had stood wasn't harmed in any way. Even in the areas where he had thrashed and trampled, it remained as though he had never been there.

Nature remained untouched. So much power in such a small beast.

"Cryptic as ever. I hate deciphering that crap," Sorano groaned and sighed. "Well, let's head back. A couple of Fu Dogs might show up soon to punish us for meddling."

Immediately, all eyes turned to her, surprise and fear written on several faces.

"Come on, this is Earth Kingdom territory. They're very protective of a balance," she explained and started walking off.

Zuko sighed at her antics but followed anyways. Fu Dogs were very dangerous creatures.

* * *

"Come on," she pleaded.

"I said, no!" he yelled back.

"Please?"

"No! What part of it don't you understand?" he asked, growling audibly at her.

"Children, children, calm down," Hoshi tsked.

Zuko spun around, arms crossed over his chest. "I'm not sharing my room. I finally got my uncle out of it."

She gave him the huge puppy dog eyes but he snarled and she frowned. "All right then," Sorano said.

He looked back at her before he regretted it. Her hand shot out, hitting him in the forehead before he could react. Dazed, he heard her say something and briefly answered 'yes.' When he heard her laugh and his head cleared, he then figured what he had agreed to.

"You wench!"

* * *

Zuko growled lowly as he punched the pillow under his head, back facing the intruder.

"Isn't this cool, Zuko?" Aang asked excitedly, grinning widely.

Something rumbled from the Firebender's throat.

"We can do all sorts of stuff now! Like-"

The bald kid just wouldn't shut up. "Listen," Zuko snarled. "I don't care. As soon as I get my own ship, I will capture you and take to the Fire Lord. You are not my friend and you will never be a friend to me." He faced the wall, listening to the silence.

"Oh," Aang said dejectedly, head bowing somewhat. His expression read sadness as he lied down on the new bed. "Good night."

He received no answer but didn't expect one. The Avatar closed his eyes, curling up on the new bed as the ship rocked on the sea.


End file.
